• Montgomery Sisam Architects designs Chelsea Gardens as a model for high-quality, sustainable affordable housing.
• The cost of living many places in North America is on the rise, while demand exceeds development.
• The team had to be very efficient in terms of gross floor area and layout to deliver 200 units, including many larger family units.

In Canada the challenge of providing sufficient affordable housing is pressing. As the costs of living have increased, demand has outpaced development, and cities are seeing the fallout in their shelter systems. To redress this deficit, governments are pouring billions of dollars into new, multi-year housing programs. These programs, responding to climate action goals and incentives, are set to herald a new generation of high-performance affordable housing projects.

Montgomery Sisam Architects was enlisted by the Region of Peel in Toronto in 2019 to deliver Chelsea Gardens, one such project. As a practice we are passionate about positive city-building and have had the privilege of working with many agencies and organizations to create housing opportunities for the communities they serve. This new 20-story residence will bring 200 new affordable housing units to Brampton. It is one of more than three dozen projects aiming to advance the 10-year Peel Housing and Homelessness Plan. In addition to its social mandate, Chelsea Gardens is set to become a benchmark for sustainable affordable housing design.

The Region of Peel, like many municipalities today, has adopted aggressive climate change policies. These policies have become key drivers in the administration of all municipal assets, including housing. Chelsea Gardens had as its targets the Zero Carbon Design under the CAGBC’s Zero Carbon Building Standard Version 3, Net Zero Emissions pursuant to the Region’s Net Zero Emission Standard as well as the CMHC’s energy efficiency standards.

In addition to meeting these sustainability goals, this new multi-unit residential building needed to be affordable to build, affordable to operate, and provide high-quality living spaces for families.
Our challenge was delivering this high-quality, high-performance building with an economy of means.

How We Did It

Multipurpose room at Chelsea Gardens. Rendering courtesy of Montgomery Sisam Architects

An important first step was adapting our workflow and schedule to accommodate an in-depth pre-design study of the various pathways to achieve the given targets. Naturally each pathway would require a different design approach, from wall assemblies to energy systems, and each design approach had its own capital and operational cost implications. Some pathways were deconstructed, reconstructed, and re-costed and short-term investments were weighed over long-term gains. Once a viable balance was found between sustainability and affordability, we proceeded with the design.

Chelsea Gardens infills a small parcel of vacant land north of two existing 13-story towers.

To deliver 200 units, including many larger family units, on a constrained site meant that our team had to be very efficient in terms of gross floor area and by extension layout. We developed a plan with three structural bay sizes—a 25-foot bay suited to one-bedroom unit, a 31-foot central bay suited to two-bedroom units and core elements (three elevators and a scissor stair), and 36-foot bay suited to three-bedroom units. This produced, in turn, three slender bars for a more compelling building profile.

In addition to these slender bars, the building was staggered at levels 1, 2, and then again at levels 6 and 7 to create variation in its vertical expression. The pedestrian scale was particularly important in making connections between the new residence and the existing fabric, including a children’s play area and adjoining parkland.

Reinforcing these connections is an outdoor patio space that extends out from the community room towards the park creating a new social space for residents from across the complex. The patio space is part of a larger site design strategy that strives to enhance the existing pedestrian network and create stronger relationships between the building and neighboring amenities, including a community center, grocer, and local trail system.

Sustainable Goals

The building orientation was predetermined by the small undeveloped plot connected to the overall complex by an existing ring road that will also serve as the building’s main access route. To achieve the ambitious net zero goal, the effectiveness of the building envelope was paramount. An airtight, thermally resistant assembly was designed to help manage heating and cooling loads. Meeting these high thermal resistance values, however, imposed certain constraints in terms of massing, materials, and the amount of glazing. The different volumes were clad in a combination of aluminum standing seam and architectural masonry block with wood-look metal soffits visible from grade for added warmth and character.

Generosity of light and views was achieved in each unit despite the building’s conservative 18% window-to-wall ratio, thanks to oversized windows in each family room. Bedrooms were fitted with smaller windows that offer more privacy without restricting access to light. The variation also gives visual interest in the facade.

Finally, to heed the Region’s energy policies, Chelsea Gardens is served by a geothermal loop with distributed geothermal heat pump system. The geo-thermal system eliminates almost all of the building’s natural gas consumption and offers some cost certainty to the operator when it comes to heating and cooling.

Our work on Chelsea Garden reinforces our belief that good design isn’t just for those who can afford it. In the context of affordable housing, high-quality, high-performance living spaces can be achieved with an economy of means. The challenges and opportunities lie in negotiating these different priorities. This starts with setting clear targets and finding the right design approach. And it evolves through creative interpretation and careful design moves that prioritize the occupant experience.

Outside Chelsea Gardens. Rendering courtesy of Montgomery Sisam Architects

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The post Chelsea Gardens is High-Quality, High-Performing Affordable Housing appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Architect Aaron Schiller reimagined a dilapidated 1870s carriage house in Brooklyn as his new home to test mass timber construction methods.
• Piggybacking onto a larger project for materials and partnering with local providers, Schiller Projects was able to streamline construction while minimizing its carbon footprint.
• Designed for longevity, the converted Brooklyn Mass Timber House has been nominated for an American Architects 2023 Building of the Year Award.

Aaron Schiller—founder and lead designer of the New York City-based architectural design firm Schiller Projects and a former carpenter—was looking for a residential project that would allow him to try his hand at mass timber construction.

“We were looking for clients who were interested in pushing the envelope on sustainability,” Schiller says. “We identified a need for a better quality of housing in terms of carbon footprint. It’s critical to the future of the country.”

Engineered for high strength, mass timber is lighter than steel or concrete and can replace both in load-bearing floors and walls. It’s also much lower in environmental impact than such carbon-intensive materials when constructed of sustainable lumber from managed forests.

Schiller eventually found the perfect project—an 1870s carriage house in Clinton Hill badly in need of renovation and primed for residential conversion—and the perfect clients: himself and his partner. “We bought it ourselves to design as a tentpole of what’s possible,” he says.

Gutted and Rebuilt

The living room of the Brooklyn Mass Timber House features floors recycled from the original timbers and integrated lighting from Stickbulb. Photo by Frank Frances

The building had seen better days. Formerly a limousine garage, the property’s front and rear facades were marred by previous renovations that bricked up windows and installed rollup doors. “It could have been mistaken for a meth lab,” Schiller says.

But the building didn’t share its sturdy, load-bearing masonry walls with any adjacent buildings—a rarity in the high-density, historic neighborhood. A gut rehab would present “a unique opportunity to add to an older structure,” Schiller says.

Long-range sustainability was central to the project. While commercial clients like to see LEED and other certifications, “that really is only half the point,” Schiller says. “You aren’t talking about the carbon footprint of the building and its construction. What drove us was the capacity to minimize the carbon footprint of the materials we were putting into the building.”

Sourced for Sustainability

Since mass timber construction is relatively new to the United States, Schiller scoured the East Coast to find a larger project his future home might piggyback onto. A New England university was set to start construction on a mass timber dorm building, and he convinced the supplier to load a few extra engineered panels on its trucks.

“We called the manufacturer and said, ‘Hey, you’re already shipping all this timber to the Northeast. What if you added 5,000 more feet?’ Schiller says. “We showed up with a U-Haul truck, turned around, and delivered the raw material to our fabricator.”

Schiller added a rooftop master suite and terrace to the carriage house in converting it to a single-family residence. Photo by Frank Frances

Brooklyn-based Tri-Lox milled the lightweight, fire-resistant panels to specifications, fabricating them to within a sixteenth of an inch tolerance and transferring them from the factory floor to the job site. Material costs were a fraction of what Schiller would have paid for a standalone order.

Much of the home’s lighting was integrated into the mass timbers in manufacturing, creating the world’s first electrified laminated timber (ELT) installation. Schiller partnered with Stickbulb, a New York City-based sustainable lighting company, on the patent-pending system.

“When you make lighting integrated at the building level, you lose the pounds of aluminum in the fixture,” Schiller says. “It’s just LEDs and wire, so you’re able to get more control on the materials that come in and out of your site and limit its carbon footprint.”

An Intricate Installation

Glue-laminated Douglas fir forms the central stairwell that connects the three floors of the Brooklyn Mass Timber House. Photo by Frank Frances

Structural mass timbers were installed from flatbed trucks in just six days, marrying the new construction to walls that had settled and bowed since the 1870s. “We had to put something completely perfect coming out of a modern factory on top of this built structure from 150 years ago,” Schiller says. “There were some challenges.”

The studio also recycled components of the original structure, including the massive structural beams of old-growth North American timber that had sustained smoke and water damage over the years. “The old structure of the building is now the flooring of the completed building,” Schiller says. “We recycled the building inside the building.”

We recycled the building inside the building.

New components are designed to last 100 years or more without degradation. “We approached the project with the lifetime of the home in mind,” Schiller says. “Should the house need to be replaced at some point, the materials used can be repurposed without producing waste.”

The building’s facades now satisfy Landmarks Preservation Commission guidelines, showcasing redbrick construction, arched windows, and dark accents. The windows were fabricated a few blocks away, reducing the environmental impact of elements like a 15-foot wall of glass on the new third-floor master suite and terrace.

Bringing the Outside in

The carriage house’s former coal-ash pit was repurposed as an indoor garden with a Japanese maple. Photo by Frank Frances

A striking three-story staircase made of glue-laminated Douglas fir ascends through the center of the house, illuminated by large skylight. At the bottom, the building’s former coal ash pit has been repurposed as an indoor garden. “There’s a Japanese maple growing in the middle of the house, which has the additional benefit of cleaning the air,” Schiller says.

The home’s HVAC maximizes energy efficiency and adds to air quality. Schiller estimates that 45% of the square footage would have required drywall if he hadn’t used mass timber. “You’re creating a more organic and health-conscious environment,” he says. “If there are less VOCs in the atmosphere, the whole house is healthier—and the wood smells really good.

“The thing with this project is that it’s so constrained,” Schiller adds. “You’re in the middle of Brooklyn. You have a very well-defined lot. And then you have the opportunity to do something on the interior that defines it. The big moves we made—bringing in the timber, doing the stair, introducing the skylight—have all been richly rewarding.”

Permitting caused a few delays because the house was only the third mass timber structure in New York City and the first residential property. “We had to educate people in the planning and fire departments about mass timber’s capacities versus its risks,” Schiller says. “A lot of people in this city aren’t used to working with this material.”

But the community “showed up” for the project to keep its construction impacts and carbon emissions low, he says. “The challenge of doing something new is that you have to bring a lot of folks with you. Fortunately the mission around climate impact gets a lot of people to the table, so people’s ears perk up and they say, ‘OK, this is different. We want to participate in this.’”

Project Details

Project: Brooklyn Mass Timber House
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Completion: 2023
Size: 3,050 square feet
Architects: Schiller Projects, Acheson Doyle Architects
Builder: Schiller Projects
Structural Engineer: Silman Associates
MEP/FP Engineer: PA Collins
Timber Fabricator: Bensonwood
Lighting Designer: Stickbulb/Schiller Projects/Loop Lighting
Landscape Architect: Brook Landscape
Interior Designer: Schiller Projects
Flooring: Tri-Lox

Drawing courtesy of Schiller Projects

Drawing courtesy of Schiller Projects

Drawing courtesy of Schiller Projects

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The post The Building Inside the Building: A Mass Timber Home in NYC appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Historic preservation in architecture seeks to preserve and protect buildings that possess a strong cultural, economic, social, or architectural history.
• Preserving historic buildings helps to prevent demolition waste, protects the historic fabric of an area, and creates a record of past building materials and techniques.

In the United States historic preservation, or the process of protecting historically significant buildings, has been practiced in some capacity since at least the late 1800s. Historic preservation would, however, become much more commonplace after Congress established the National Historic Preservation Act in 1966, which created the National Register of Historic Places and mandates the active reuse of historic buildings for public benefit and the preservation of our national heritage.

Let’s explore the basics of historic preservation in architecture and explore a few real-world examples.

What is Historic Preservation in Architecture?

Michael Graves reinterpreted classical elements such as pilasters, garlands, and keystones in his design of the Portland Building. Installed in 1985, Raymond Kaskey’s Portlandia sculpture is the second-largest copper repoussé statue in the United States after the Statue of Liberty. Photo by James Ewing

Historic preservation architecture, or built heritage conservation, is a subset of architecture focused on preserving, protecting, and conserving buildings and structures with sufficient historical significance. In most cases historic preservation prioritizes the maintenance, repair, and reuse of a building’s existing materials, features, and elements rather than replacing, altering, or otherwise adding to a structure.

Historic preservation is closely linked to the notion of adaptive reuse, or the process by which existing buildings are renovated, refurbished, or otherwise updated to serve a purpose other than what they were originally designed for. While adaptive reuse is not a requirement for historic preservation, the two often overlap, as it is often possible to adapt the usage of a building without seriously impacting its historic character.

Preservation is one of four treatment standards identified and defined by the US Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, with the others being rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction.

• Preservation. The process of applying measures necessary to maintain the existing form, integrity, and materials of a historic property, as opposed to replacement or new construction; electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and other code-required changes are supported if necessary for the building’s continued function, but exterior additions are not permitted.
• Rehabilitation. The act of making repairs, alterations, and/or additions to a property to better suit new or changing needs while still preserving those features that accurately convey its historical, architectural, or cultural values; acknowledges that certain features may need to be altered or added to meet current needs.
• Restoration. The process of accurately depicting the form, features, and details of a building or structure as it appeared at a specific point in time by reconstructing missing features from said time period and removing those features from other periods in the property’s history.
• Reconstruction. Defined as the act or process of depicting via new construction the form, features, and details of a building or structure that no longer exists, for the explicit purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific point in time.

For the purposes of this article and its examples, the term “historic preservation architecture” encompasses both preservation and some rehabilitation projects, as the two treatments are fundamentally interrelated; a rehabilitation project may, for example, preserve certain features while also making alterations that allow the building to better serve the needs of the community.

Why is Historic Preservation Important?

Historic preservation is important because it helps to extend the operational lifespan of historically or culturally significant buildings that would otherwise languish in abandonment or be demolished to make way for new development. Not only does this help protect local histories and add to the historical fabric of an area, it helps to create an architectural archive of sorts, one that acts as a record of past building techniques and strategies.

“Extending the lifespan of a building preserves examples of construction materials and methods that are being forgotten,” Ellen Tichenor, creative director at Thrash Group, previously told gb&d. “And preservation of urban historic fabric contributes to the cultural identity and quality of life of a place.” Historic preservation architecture is also important from a sustainability standpoint, as it drastically reduces the amount of construction and demolition waste sent to landfills.

10 Examples of Historic Preservation in Architecture

Here are some recent examples of historic preservation in architecture, from historic universities to hospitality projects and apartment living.

1. MSU Romney Hall, Bozeman, MT

Romney Hall embodies the Italian Renaissance Revival style with a beautifully detailed tapestry-brick facade featuring terra-cotta spandrels decorated with athletic motifs, large wood and steel windows, copper detailing, and a barrel-vaulted metal roof. This iconic building contributes significant historic value to the Montana State University Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by Karl Neumann

Built in 1921 as a physical education building for Montana State University (MSU), Romney Hall largely fell out of use in the 1970s after the university built new athletic facilities. To make the most out of its square footage, Romney Hall was renovated in 2022 and now houses additional offices and lab spaces for MSU’s College of Education, Health and Human Development.

Romney Hall’s renovation was led by Cushing Terrell, whose project goals included preserving the building’s Italian Renaissance Revival style while improving accessibility, sustainability, and overall safety. A historical preservation and structural analysis of the building was conducted and the firm began designing as the interior was being demolished to better understand what materials could be reused. More than half of the building’s original resources and materials were preserved and reused, including structural elements, enclosure materials, and permanently installed interior elements.

Marble wall panels were repurposed as decorative elements and shower stalls, while the building’s original terrazzo floors in the north stair—itself preserved as a character-defining feature—were cleaned and restored to their original condition. Hardware and suspension rods were also left exposed and inspired the metal components for the new walkway, stairs, and guardrails.

2. Carleton University Loeb Building, Ontario

The Carleton University Loeb Building includes a new active student space designed by CSV Architects. Photo by Krista Jahnke Photography

Built in the 1960s as a student space, the Loeb Building at Carleton University in Ontario was renovated by CSV Architects in 2019 to better serve the university’s needs without getting rid of the historic elements that gave the building its character.

“Throughout the design process the intention was to pay respect to the existing exposed brick and concrete surfaces of the building and complement with carefully selected new finishes and colors,” Rick Kellner, associate at CSV Architects, told gb&d in a previous article. “The exposed brick walls and waffle slab ceiling were refreshed by applying white paint, instead of being concealed behind new finishes. The new finishes that were installed—including flooring, wall panels, and glass boards—complement the brick and concrete surfaces and highlight the original millwork of the building.”

Existing wood-framed windows—all more than 50 years old—were repaired and refurbished, a process that included the delicate refinishing of existing wood trim in places as well as the select removal and replacement of pieces when necessary. CSV even went so far as to ensure new staining matched the building’s existing window frames and trim finishes in order to maintain a cohesive historic patina between new and old elements.

CSV also implemented flexible room layouts to allow the Loeb Building to evolve and adapt as needed, introducing biophilic design elements like a wood slat ceiling and greater exposure to natural sunlight to create a space that actively fostered wellness, collaboration, and learning for both students and staff.

3. Hotel Morgan, Morgantown, WV

The restored Hotel Morgan dates back to 1925 and was a popular spot for dignitaries. Photo by Chase Daniel

When it first opened its doors in 1925, Hotel Morgan was the epitome of elegance and quickly became the place to stay in town, attracting everyone from professors and the parents of local college students to former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and President Harry Truman.

Over the years, however, the hotel became less and less a destination for professors and presidents and more a spot where the local college football crowd would congregate, leading to a renovation in 1999 that sought to update the design to suit modern tastes. In 2020 Hotel Morgan was renovated once again, this time by the Thrash Group and Vertikal Collaborative, with the intent of returning the building to its original splendor, albeit with a modern twist.

Hotel Morgan’s redesigned guest rooms blend modern design and with timeless details. Photo by Chase Daniel

“As the architect, the goal was to restore the timelessness and sophistication that we imagined the original lobby offered guests,” Sarah Newton, an architect with Vertikal Collaborative, previously told gb&d. “A lot of elements had already been replaced, in which case we either kept them if they were still operable and contributed to the restoration efforts or replaced them to what we thought was originally there based on what would have been there at the time the building was originally constructed.”

All of the original components that were still in place—including, original wood windows, tall steel windows, tile floors, and wooden trim/finishes—were kept and restored wherever possible, with modern amenities strategically inserted alongside them. Vintage Victrola radios, retro refrigerators, chaise lounges, and large, luxurious bathrooms can be found in each of the hotel’s guest-rooms and suites, all of which are furnished with custom pieces designed by Thrash Group.

4. Cable Mills Apartments, Williamstown, MA

Cable Mills Apartments houses 61-residential units and occupies eight buildings originally constructed as part of the General Cable/Water Street Mill complex. Photo courtesy of Cable Mills

Originally built in 1873, the General Cable or Water Street Mill in Massachusetts got its start manufacturing twine, and later, wire and cable. As the demand for these products gradually declined throughout the 20th century, however, the mill became obsolete until it was finally forced to shut its doors in 1996.

In the early 2000s the mill complex—a total of 15 structures—was acquired by the Traggorth Companies LLC, who sought to transform eight of the buildings into residential apartments. Over the next 14 years and with the help of local architectural firm Finegold Alexander Architects, their goal was finally realized in the 61-unit Cable Mills Apartments housing complex.

Photo courtesy of Cable Mills

All of the original exterior brick cladding was preserved, along with 20 types and sizes of windows across multiple buildings. Inside, exposed brick walls give the units character while high wood-beamed ceilings, polished concrete floors, and contemporary finishes seamlessly blend the old with the new. Energy- and water-efficient appliances and systems were also installed, greatly improving the project’s overall sustainability.

Finegold Alexander Architects’ exemplary renovation of the Cable Mills Apartments was recognized by Preservation Massachusetts and the project received the Paul & Niki Tsongas Award – Biggest Impact Rural/Suburban in 2017.

5. Boston Public Library’s Boylston Street Building, Boston

William Rawn Associates breathes new life into one of the country’s most beautiful libraries. Photo courtesy of William Rawn Associates

Built in 1972 and designed by architect Philip Johnson, the Boylston Street Building is one of two buildings that make up the Boston Public Library’s (BPL) Central Library in Copley Square, with the other being the original McKim Building, built in 1895. The Boylston Street Building underwent an extensive renovation between 2013 and 2016 in order to better serve the community’s needs and strengthen its connection to the city as a whole.

Because of the Boylston Street Building’s status as a local landmark, BPL, the City of Boston, and William Rawn Associates (WRA) worked closely with the Boston Landmark Commission to ensure retention of the building’s defining features and conformity with Johnson’s original vision.

“We read everything we could find about Johnson’s work and from that developed a set of Johnson Principles,” Cliff Gayley, a principal architect at WRA, told gb&d in a previous article. “These principles included his ideas like the nine-square grid as well as procession and moment of arrival. We also found specific statements and criticisms Johnson made about his original building that we could address. These principles guided how we thought about transformation as we, the library, and the city worked closely with the Landmarks Commission and their staff to achieve fundamental change, while respecting the legibility and integrity of the original building.”

Photo courtesy of William Rawn Associates

Using these guiding principles WRA was able to strategically remove dividing walls and mezzanine floor plates to create a unified two-story space spanning the length of Boylston Street that now includes a cafe, broadcasting studio, digital labs, lecture halls, a teen room, and more. A series of 10-foot-tall granite barricades that blocked the library’s interior from the street were also removed in order to accommodate new entryways and open the building up to the street. Large floor-to-ceiling windows were added in place of the original dark-tinted glass and stone walls, increasing admittance of natural sunlight.

In 2017 the Boston Public Library and a conservation team led by Gianfranco Pocobene would go on to win the Preservation Achievement Award from the Boston Preservation Alliance in recognition of the team’s efforts to preserve and restore artist Pierre Puvis de Chavannes’ Philosophy panel, one of several murals decorating the library’s grand staircase. In the same year, the library received joint awards from the AIA and ALA for its renovation of the Boylston Street Building.

6. Portland Building, Portland

The postmodern Portland Building is one of the city’s icons. In a reconstruction led by DLR Group, a new curtain wall system solves longstanding water leakage issues, while improving thermal performance and increasing access to natural light. Photo by James Ewing/JBSA

Designed in 1982 by Michael Graves Architecture & Design as a light-hearted response to the formality of modernist architecture, the postmodernist Portland Building has never lacked whimsy or expression, but it did lack natural sunlight and adequate insulation. Plus, it leaked whenever it rained. These problems were largely attributed to the use of low-quality materials in the building’s construction, a byproduct of the budget constraints that plagued the project from start to finish.

When DLR Group was brought in to renovate the building, they had to find a way to preserve Graves’ design intent while also addressing its technical shortcomings. “Preservation usually puts a lot of focus on maintaining historic materials,” Erica Ceder, an architect at DLR Group, previously told gb&d. “One of the really challenging parts about the Portland Building is what do you do when there are inherent flaws in the way the building was put together in the first place.”

To remedy these flaws DLR Group elected to install unitized curtain wall panels over the existing cladding system, drastically improving the building’s thermal performance by shifting the insulation layer to the outside of its concrete shell. The teal tiles at the base of the Portland Building were replaced by a terra-cotta rainscreen system that greatly reduced the possibility of water intrusion. Both the curtain wall and rainscreen were designed to replicate the materials they replaced and were painted to match the original color scheme.

The Portland Building’s daylighting problems were solved by replacing the existing aluminum-framed windows—which were inefficient and used a darker glass that only let in about 7% of the natural sunlight—with thermally broken, energy-efficient windows that let in closer to 80% of the light. An interior parking lot entrance was also removed and replaced with a two-story glazed window that brightened the lobby and strengthened its connection to the outdoors.

Insid, the design team removed drop ceilings and exposed the waffle slab underneath, opening up the interior and giving it a more comfortable scale. Conference rooms and private offices located around the building’s perimeter were also moved further inwards to free up valuable window space, while standardized hardwall rooms were installed throughout to provide long-term floor-plan flexibility.

7. Beloit Powerhouse, Beloit, WI

When a college president passed a newly decommissioned power plant, he got an idea: Wouldn’t that space make for a great, much needed new campus fieldhouse? The new facility now has a running track, conference facility, batting cages, café, and more. Photo by Tom Harris

Built between 1907 and 1913, Blackhawk Generating Station—a 120,000-square-foot coal-burning power plant—served the community of Beloit for more than a century before it was decommissioned in 2010 as a result of reduced demand for power. The plant would sit abandoned until, on one of his routine runs around campus, Beloit College’s President Scott Bierman had the idea of converting it into a new rec center.

Designed by Studio Gang, The Powerhouse is the realization of Bierman’s vision. Because of the sheer scale and size of the station itself, the interior layout had to be completely reimagined in order to create a welcoming environment for students. Fortunately, the inherent strength of the structure’s steel frame allowed for innovative design opportunities, such as suspending an entire running track from the ceiling. “It’s using architecture to create that transformation on a spatial level in order to make it this environment you actually want to be in that doesn’t feel too overwhelming or too cold,” Juliane Wolf, partner and design principal at Studio Gang, previously told gb&d.

Diagram courtesy of Studio Gang

Despite these changes to the floor plan, the plant’s industrial history still shines through, with exposed brickwork and steel visible throughout the building. Other features were integrated in more creative ways, including a truss discovered mid-way through the project that now sports a glass facade, creating a sightline between the pool and running track.

The building’s exterior was largely left untouched and the brick cladding left exposed, with the only changes being upgrades to the envelope, new windows, and installation of wall insulations that met the historic preservation standard. Even the plant’s original smokestack was kept and converted into a skylight. Studio Gang also added a 17,000-square-foot field house to the building’s northern face, constructed from translucent polycarbonate walls and steel framing.

8. The Industrialist Hotel, Pittsburgh

The Industrialist Hotel’s historic facade holds rich architectural details, including a Cornice crown with howling masks and a brick and terra-cotta–striped facade on a granite base. The design team completed significant restoration work at the building’s cornice, repairing and replacing structural steel that had been compromised by water infiltration. Photo by Digital Love Studios

In Pittsburgh the Industrialist Hotel is at home inside an 18-story skyscraper built in 1902 and designed by architect Frederick Osterling. The building once served as the headquarters for James Arrott’s American Standard bathtub company.

Because the Arrott Building and several other nearby financial buildings are recognized as contributing property to the National Register’s Fourth Avenue Historic District, it qualified for the Federal Historic Tax Credit program, which helps incentivize owners to rehabilitate historic buildings. This, in addition to the building’s charm and favorable location, influenced HRI Properties and Marriott International’s decision to purchase the skyscraper and convert it into the Industrialist Hotel, the latest location in Marriott’s Autograph Collection.

“The greenest building is the one that already exists,” Kirsten Vaselaar, senior vice president of real estate and development at HRI Properties, told gb&d in a previous article. “By giving the building a new use, bringing it up to code, upgrading all of the building systems, repairing the exterior envelope as needed, and installing a new roof, the project has helped ensure that this building can continue to perform, serve an economic purpose, and contribute to the community for many years to come.”

Stonehill Taylor gave the 124-room hotel its stunning new interior design, blending old and new across three floors of public spaces as well as guestrooms and suites. Historic finishes and features stand out on the first and second floors, as they were preserved and highlighted in the finished project. Photo courtesy of The Industrialist

Retaining the original arched windows, brick and terra-cotta-striped facade, and intricate Cornice crown complete with howling masks, the Industrialist’s exterior is rich in history and architectural detail, setting the stage for what to expect upon entry to the luxury hotel. Stepping inside puts one in the main lobby, left largely untouched and filled with the original Italian marble, brass accents, and intricate plaster work. The only major changes made to the lobby were the addition of new sculptural chandeliers, LED light fixtures, and openings to the adjacent Rebel Room bar/restaurant and bathroom corridor.

The rest of the interior—designed by Desmone Architects and Stonehill Taylor—is noticeably modernized with references to its industrial history throughout. Smoke-like abstract artworks compliment the guest-rooms’ monochromatic color palettes, while each bathroom features dark granite tile juxtaposed against fire-colored wallcoverings and brass fixtures. Avant-garde furnishings and mid-century finishes in the hotel’s ground-floor bar and restaurant, second-floor salon and library, and third-floor event space and fitness center further serve to reinforce the Industrialist’s timeless design and cement its place in Pittsburgh’s industrial past.

9. Black Diamond, Huntington, WV

WXY and Edward Tucker Architects are designing a major adaptive reuse project along with SB Friedman for the community-based group Coalfield Development. Rendering courtesy of WXY architecture + urban design

In 2021 WXY architects + urban design and Edward Tucker Architects were commissioned by Coalfield Development to develop an adaptive reuse plan for a former World War I glider factory in Huntington, West Virginia as part of the region’s efforts to bolster the economy through revitalization of existing brownfield sites and abandoned coal fields. WXY’s proposed strategy will allow the repurposed building—referred to as Black Diamond—to serve two tenants: Solar Holler, a full-service solar panel developer and installer, and ReUse Corridor, a consortium of local collectors, up-cyclers, and material generators.

Constructed primarily from brick and steel, the existing buildings were chosen for their high ceilings and open floor plans, of which can readily accommodate the in-and-out movement of shipment vehicles and blur the line between interior and exterior spaces. Repurposing the existing factory also allows the design team to reuse certain parts of the site in innovative ways.

“We’re able to play with some pieces of gantry cranes and older industrial architecture to make something,” David Vega-Barachowitz, an associate principal at WXY architecture + urban design, told gb&d in a previous interview. “It’s an important message not only for the reuse program that’s on site but also in reflecting back on this economic engine and community center they’re trying to create in this area.” Black Diamond is slated to open in 2026.

10. Two Doughboy Square, Pittsburgh

In the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Two Doughboy Square designed by Desmone Architects mixes contemporary and historical design elements. Photo by Ed Massery

In Pittsburgh’s historic Lawrenceville neighborhood, Desmone Architects’ main office—known now as Two Doughboy Square—resides inside the former Pennsylvania National Bank Building, an 8,200-square foot structure originally built in 1902 and designed by the Beezer Brothers architectural firm.

Constructed in the Beaux-Arts style, the one-story brick and terra-cotta bank building was saved from demolition in 1993 when Desmone Architects decided to expand their operations and set up shop in Pittsburgh, selecting the building for its historical significance, optimal location, and impressive arched entryway complete with frieze and ornamental detailing.

Desmone Architects nominated the old bank for City of Pittsburgh Historic Designation, which it received in 2020. Photo by Ed Massery. Photo by Ed Massery

Skilled design and sound construction meant that the bank’s exterior required little alteration, with the only major changes being the replacement of existing windows with energy-efficient alternatives and the addition of a nameplate above the doorway. All of the bank’s original brick and terra-cotta cladding was left exposed and in its weathered state, ranging in color from light brown to taupe. Inside, the bank’s defining features—the high ceilings, arched window cutouts, tall pilasters, and detailed window surrounds—were left intact, though the colors and furnishings were updated for a lighter, more modern feel.

After expanding their main office in 2019—something the Pennsylvania History and Museum Commission thought might detract from the bank’s contribution to Pittsburgh’s historic fabric—Desmone Architects nominated the building for City of Pittsburgh Historic Designation, which would require all changes and alterations be reviewed and approved by the city’s Historic Review Commission. Thanks to the firm’s efforts and the help of Preservation Pittsburgh, the bank received official designation in 2020.

The firm’s WELL Gold-certified 25,000-square-foot addition was constructed behind the main office and sits at a triangular intersection between a residential and commercial district. The south facade faces the residential district and was designed to compliment the bank through its use of Roman bricks and bay windows, whereas the north facade employs a YKK AP curtain wall with black mullions to create a modern look that fits with the commercial buildings it faces.

How to Become a Historic Preservation Architect

To become a historic preservation architect, one must first receive a professional degree in architecture, demonstrate knowledge of American architectural history and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatement of Historic Properties, gain experience through interning or apprenticing at a firm, and finally pass the ARE and apply for architectural licensure. Photo by Ed Massery

Historic preservation is a well-respected architectural practice—one that is always in need of new architects who are passionate about protecting the legacy of historically and culturally significant buildings. Anyone who wishes to become a historic preservation architect will need three things should they hope to turn their passion into a worthwhile career: education, experience, and a valid license to practice architecture.

Education

To become a historic preservation architect, a person must first receive a professional degree in architecture from a school or program accredited by the National Architecture Accrediting Board. Exact degree requirements vary, but many firms prioritize prospective candidates who have completed a Master of Architecture program with a focus on or specialization in historic preservation. Some firms, on the other hand, may accept applicants who have completed a Bachelor of Architecture program, provided they have prior experience in historic preservation.

Prospective historic preservation architects must also need to have a strong understanding of architectural design, building materials, construction techniques, and structural systems, as well as demonstrated knowledge of American architectural history and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The ability to use computer-aided design software and create detailed drawings and blueprints is also necessary.

Experience

After receiving a relevant degree in architecture, a prospective historic preservation architect must gain practical experience through an internship or apprenticeship program with a firm. Minimum experience requirements—measured in hours—vary from state to state.

Licensing

Finally, anyone who wishes to call themselves an architect—historic preservation or otherwise—will also need to pass an Architect Registration Exam (ARE), as administered by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

After passing the ARE, one must then apply for licensure with their respective state’s Board of Architecture and pass a state-specific exam that showcases knowledge of local zoning laws, environmental regulations, building codes, and permits pertaining to architecture.

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• Libraries all over the globe are finding more ways to engage with the community while protecting the environment.
• Snøhetta and Stantec designed the Charles Library so natural light reaches 90% of its occupied areas.
• William Rawn Associates renovated the 1895 Boston Public Library with LED lights, low-flow plumbing, and more.

Every book you can imagine, access to endless information, community services—what do you think of when you think of a library today? What about green libraries?

Modern libraries are so much more than places to check out books, though they’re certainly that, too, and we’re grateful. But some of the best libraries are also community spaces, acting as hubs for cultural programming, education, children services, and more.

As anchors in their cities, libraries new and old should also be built to last. We’ve come to depend on these institutions all over the world, and architects have told us it’s become increasingly important that the design of these buildings be sustainable.

But what is a green library exactly?

According to the International Federation of Library Associations, green libraries are “designed to minimize negative impact on the natural environment and maximize indoor environmental quality by means of careful site selection, use of natural construction materials and biodegradable products, conservation of resources, and responsible waste disposal,” and that’s just to begin with.

We think the best libraries should also stand the test of time, built with sustainable building materials that are durable.

Some of our favorite green libraries also incorporate clever daylighting solutions, have multiple methods of bringing the community together, incorporate energy-efficient HVAC, and more. These are some of our favorite standout green libraries.

Springdale Library, Toronto

RDH Architects designed the public library, garden, park, and splash pad in Brampton to create an experiential relationship to the project’s greenfield setting—complete with undulating, organic sectional topography. Photo by Nic Lehoux

Next to a park in the Toronto suburbs, Springdale Library is alive with color and natural light. It has a green roof and uses water reclamation strategies and geothermal heating. The surrounding landscape inspired RDH Architects to design the project to be both eye-catching and organic. A nearby remain inspired the building’s fluid architecture and its surrounding green spaces, which allow the library to blend within its environment.

“We were trying to deal with sustainability in a poetic architectural way, as well as being performative,” Tyler Sharp, principal and design director at RDHA, previously told gb&d.

Inside, Sharp and the design team worked to create an environment of exploration. Like the exterior, much of the library’s interiors also draw inspiration from the surrounding scenery. An organic, calming color palette of greens and yellows is used throughout, while globular pendant lights and embedded LED lights create a planetary, starry sky above stacks of books and reading areas. In the children’s area, a moss-like carpet backs up to the outer reflecting pools, blurring the boundaries of inside and out.

Hayward Public Library, Hayward, CA

The library’s facade features an open joint red terra-cotta rain screen, matching the color of the city’s historically brick buildings. Photo courtesy of Noll & Tam Architects

Noll & Tam Architects designed the Hayward Public Library to meet net zero goals, optimizing natural sunlight and looking beyond the site for energy production and water reuse. They installed additional solar panels on the municipal parking garage next door to supplement the building’s energy production. Underneath the building, a 400,000-gallon cistern collects rainwater for reuse.

The library’s facade features an open joint red terra-cotta rain screen, matching the color of the city’s historically brick buildings. Flexible design was a key goal of the project, as the team hope to keep the building alive and relevant for many years to come. “I think it could continue to serve as a library for the next century quite easily. But it will need to adapt,” Scott Salge, principal at Noll & Tam, previously told gb&d.

Winthrop Library, Winthrop, WA

The design team shifted window openings, doorways, overhangs, and a slatted wooden scrim to best control heat gain and glare during the Methow Valley’s arid summers. Photo by Benjamin Drummond

Johnston Architects designed this library in Washington state to be a community hub that can double as a place pf refuge in times of wildfire and other extreme weather events. “The area is impacted by climate change in the form of wildfires and other extreme weather events—increasing the need for a safe, clean environment for locals to gather during smoky, extremely hot or cold seasons,” architect Harmony Cooper told gb&d. “The library was thoughtfully designed as a refuge from the elements during these intense but increasingly common periods. The new library’s goal was to satisfy these needs. Upon completion the project was met with enthusiastic community support.”

The main library space is one large open room with high ceilings and extended windows, allowing natural light to pour in. We used technology developed in-house by design technologist Shane Leaman to study the proposed design’s daylighting, glare, solar heat gain, and energy use. As a result the team shifted window openings, doorways, overhangs and added slatted wooden scrim to minimize heat gain and glare during the Methow Valley’s summers while still allowing light to peek through without significant energy loss.

Temple University’s Charles Library

Temple University’s Charles Library. Photo by Michael Grimm

Snøhetta and Stantec designed Temple University’s new Charles Library, completed in August 2019, with an impressive green roof and expansive atrium lobby, all set on a textured granite base.

The four-story, 220,000-square-foot library has natural light in 90% of its occupied areas, reducing the amount of artificial light required.

“Snøhetta was looking for large glazed windows to increase the transparency of looking into the building. The side benefit of that is that we’re bringing in natural light to 90% of the occupied areas,” Scott Sullivan, principal architect at Stantec, told gb&d.

“All of our lighting inside the building has either a combination of photoelectric sensing or occupancy sensing. If it’s a nice sunny day, the lights won’t turn on. If it’s a cloudy day or night, the lights will then turn on based on occupancy or darkness levels.”

Austin Central Library

The LEED Platinum Austin Central Library emphasizes daylighting. Photo courtesy of Lake|Flato

Daylighting is also emphasized at the LEED Platinum Austin Central Library, designed by Lake|Flato and Shepley Bulfinch.

The 198,000-square-foot facility has a six-story atrium at its core that provides daylight to more than 80% of the library’s regularly occupied spaces.

“The presence of daylight makes people feel happy and more productive. It makes people want to be there,” David Lake, principal in charge for Lake|Flato, told gb&d.

Before ever breaking ground the architects made models to explore light in the space.

“We took the models outside and tried all different configurations. We wanted to harvest the light evenly around the building without glare but still have a library that could be flexible in the future,” Lake says. “It was our biggest challenge.”

Boston Public Library

Inside the renovated Boston Public Library. Photo courtesy of William Rawn Associates

Beyond natural light, of which there is also plenty in this renovation, you’ll find a beautiful 1895 building with surprisingly modern amenities and sustainable design, thanks to William Rawn Associates.

Completed in 2016, the renovation shows us what historic libraries can be, with a design that both preserves history while also becoming a community hub with multiple, updated entrances. A light-filled space spills out into a new public plaza, complete with Wi-Fi and outdoor seating on one of Boston’s liveliest thoroughfares.

“This project creates a new civic idea for public libraries—with a heightened sense of being open, welcoming, and seamlessly connected to the city streets,” Cliff Gayley, principal architect on the project, told gb&d in the initial interview.

Beyond new LED lights and increased daylight all around, the design team also installed low-flow plumbing fixtures, occupancy sensors, and VAV (Variable Air Volume) boxes to reduce energy and conditioned air usage as part of the project.

Tulsa Library

Inside this Tulsa Library, a fully automated lighting system utilizes daylight harvesting, scheduling, and vacancy and occupancy sensors. Photo by Lara Swimmer

In Oklahoma, the reimagined Tulsa Library includes updated HVAC alongside historic spaces as MSR renovated the building to bring it into the 21st century.

“The historic quality of the space was important and the detail it carried. There were a lot of great things we did not want to lose,” says Dagmara Larsen, project manager at MSR, in an interview with gb&d.

The team worked to maintain the look of the existing 145,000-square-foot structure as much as possible by keeping the roof, balcony, entryway, and other aesthetic details the same. They added glass study cubes to the balcony to increase daylight, utilizing a space that was once unusable.

Now the HVAC system runs on frictionless bearing chillers, a heat-recovery chiller, and dual wheel ventilation air handlers. A fully automated lighting system utilizes daylight harvesting, scheduling, and vacancy and occupancy sensors.

Virgilio Barco Library

Photo courtesy of Taller de Arquitectura de Bogotá

In Bogotá the BiblioRed project got off the ground with services at the Virgilio Barco Library, designed by Rogelio Salmona S.A., and other libraries., in the eary 2000s.

“They made four big libraries in parks in areas that used to be dangerous or for lower income people,” saso María Elvira Madriñán, widow of famous Colombian architect Rogelio Salmona and herself a leader in architecture, share with gb&d. “[Before] there was one library downtown. Many kids didn’t have the access to go downtown to the library, so these projects started to give the kids the possibility to access to books and culture.”

Madriñán says the great network of libraries managed to have wide coverage, complemented by a network of small libraries in schools and colleges to reach all of the city.

The Virgilio Barco Public Library was built inside a park designed by Salmona, with pedestrian and bike paths, canals, lakes, and native trees. In addition to being a place of learning and community, the project emphasized the issue of water management. The UNESCO World Heritage Centre site makes great use of rainwater by integrating it into the building. According to UNESCO, the project challenges the concept of contemporary public space as it incorporates meeting places and open access so all can enjoy the space, whether they want to take a walk in nature or go inside and read.

Tianjin Binhai Library

Inside Tianjin Library. Photo by Ossip van Duivenbode, MVRDV

Incredible daylighting and two rooftop patios make this library in China stand out.

The Tianjin Binhai library is truly a green library that makes you stop and stare, asking, “Was this made for Instagram?” as it’s almost too beautiful not to photograph.

Designed by MVRDV and the Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute, the 363,000-square-foot space was commissioned as part of a plan to create a cultural district in the city. The library is surrounded by four other cultural buildings, all connected by a glass-covered public corridor. A public park sits in front of the library.

Terraced bookshelves wrap the walls while also being represented on the outside—each level doubles as a louvre, allowing light and air to flow through. Glass walls in the front of the library open to the park outside to allow for nature views and enhanced daylight.

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• Touchless entry, zero food waste, energy-efficient lighting—hotels the world over are finding more and more ways to be sustainable.
• Hotel designers are also finding more ways to incorporate recycled materials and develop more carbon neutral designs.
• The top sustainable hotels don’t sacrifice luxury in favor of being environmentally friendly; they achieve both.

Lodgings all over the world are incorporating more sustainable features at every turn. From Pittsburgh to Portugal to Washington, DC, hotel design teams are finding ways to incorporate new technologies to lessen energy used, reduce waste, and minimize their carbon footprint.

We travel the globe to find the most interesting sustainable hotels that incorporate both luxury and green features. Here are some of our favorite sustainable hotels in 2024.

Solar Branco, São Miguel, The Azores

A side view of The Ruin at the Solar Branco Eco Estate. Photo by Rui Soares

Solar Branco Eco Estate on São Miguel Island has been a labor of love. Now with eight eco-friendly suites and cottages, the property was long neglected before becoming a spot for weary travelers with a love of sustainability and the finer things in life to rest their heads.

The hotel produces zero food waste, runs largely on solar, and educates guests about how they can make a difference environmentally.

The evolving adaptive reuse project officially opened to visitors in summer 2023 and dates back to the 19th century. Accommodations include The Ruin, a two-story cottage that was an abandoned farm building for decades before being brought back to life as part of Solar Branco. “We wanted to take something that was old and crumbling and restore it to something beautiful and comfortable,” says co-owner Caroline Sprod.

Industrialist Hotel, Pittsburgh

The Industrialist Hotel’s historic facade holds rich architectural details, including a Cornice crown with howling masks and a brick and terra-cotta–striped facade on a granite base. The design team completed significant restoration work at the building’s cornice, repairing and replacing structural steel that had been compromised by water infiltration. Photo by Digital Love Studios

The Industrialist dates back to 1902. The building—walking distance to where the three rivers meet in Pittsburgh—was originally designed by architect Frederick Osterling. Desmone Architects and Stonewall Taylor recently gave the beautiful property new life. The now 124-room hotel is stunning, seamlessly blending old and new across three floors of public spaces as well as all guestrooms and suites. Historic finishes and features were preserved throughout the project, and the first floor lobby is almost entirely original.

“The greenest building is the one that already exists,” says Kirsten Vaselaar​, senior vice president of real estate and development at HRI Properties. “By giving the building a new use, bringing it up to code, upgrading all of the building systems, repairing the exterior envelope as needed, and installing a new roof, the project has helped ensure that this building can continue to perform, serve an economic purpose, and contribute to the community for many years to come.”

Hotel Magdalena, Austin, Texas

Photo by Nick Simonite

Hotel Magdalena is the first boutique mass timber hotel in North America. Lake|Flato and Austin-based hotel operator Bunkhouse designed the five-building complex around existing Live Oak heritage trees, which became focal points for outdoor gathering spaces and private suite gardens in Magdalena’s expansive courtyards. They worked with top manufacturer Think Wood, who provides commercial, multifamily, and single-family home design and build resources, to bring the project to life.

Exposed timber walkways canopy the outdoor corridors and extend into guest rooms. This marriage between interior and exterior spaces is augmented by scenic landscaping from Ten Eyck Landscape Architects that bridges visitors’ experience through flowing, organic greenery. Hotel occupants access their rooms via spanning outdoor wooden porches, encouraging occupants to spend time outdoors and engage with other hotel guests at a safe distance.

Scandic Vulkan Hotel, Oslo

Photo by Finn Ståle Feldberg

The Scandic Vulkan Hotel—Norway’s first Energy Class A hotel—is one of the many ways the city of Oslo is revitalizing its Vulkan area near the hip, bustling Grunerlokka neighborhood. Heating and cooling at the hotel is provided by a system of geothermal wells that runs nearly 1,000 feet deep supplies all of Vulkan’s buildings with heating and cooling.

“We decided very early on that working with sustainability, energy, and environmental issues was going to be core to this project,” says Sverre Landmark, commercial director for Aspelin Ramm, a leading developer in Oslo.

The Scandic Vulkan Hotel is also fitted with state-of-the-art insulation, and it recycles energy from coolers and elevators.

citizenM Hotel, Seattle

Bright colors and plentiful natural light are consistent throughout this Gensler-designed citizenM hotel. Photo by Richard Powers

The citizenM hotel in Seattle took four months less to build than a traditional building project, with 60% less construction waste. The Gensler-designed project was built using modular construction. Manufacturing the units in a factory setting has a myriad of benefits from an environmental perspective; where the average building will involve shipping more materials than needed to any given site, the excess of which will need to be disposed of, a factory is able to aggregate materials and distribute them between projects as well as plan out what’s needed precisely, so waste is minimized.

The shorter timeframe and fewer deliveries also contributed to less pollution. The project ultimately earned LEED Gold and uses 29% less energy than it would otherwise.

Islas Secas, Gulf of Chiriqui­, Panama

Photo courtesy of Islas Secas

The Islas Secas resort was established in a small archipelago off the Pacific coast of Panama. The resort consists of 14 private islands, seven Casita sites, two villa luxury housing sites, and a solar-powered facility housing a library, bar, and an open-air dining pavilion.

The resort is committed to being eco-friendly, using 100% solar-generated energy, reusing 100% of wastewater for irrigation, and composting 100% of food waste into fertilizer. The resort also only occupies 25% of the archipelago, with the rest remaining undeveloped and left to nature.

Monteverde Inn, Monteverde, Costa Rica

Photo courtesy of Monteverde Inn

In the hills of Costa Rica the Monteverde Inn‘s goal is to have its guests learn about the importance of permaculture and sustainability. Permaculture is a natural resource management methodology that focuses on catching, storing, and using energy and later returning it to nature in an enriched state.

The hotel itself implements a number of sustainable practices. The heating and drying is all provided by solar energy. Water from sinks, showers, laundry, and kitchens is recycled and reused, while rainwater is collected for irrigation use. Cleaning products such as soaps and detergents are made with biodegradable and eco-friendly materials.

Stokkøya Sjøsenter, Stokkøya, Norway

Rendering courtesy of Pir II Architects

The Stokkøya Norwegian island resort repurposes building materials wherever available for its cottages and surrounding facilities. These reused materials come from other construction projects and a nearby ship graveyard, including curtains made from ship sails, facade panels from an old local bank, and green glass from demolished government buildings.

For Bygdebox, the large triangular building near the waterfront, crews used leftover materials from other projects and a nearby ship graveyard. The multi-purpose area used green glass from a demolished government building, facade panels from an old local bank, and leftover doors and windows from other projects. Back at the Stokkøya hotel (less than a 10-minute walk from Bygda 2.0), repurposing was also key when it was built in 2008. The owners used old sails to make curtains and picked up things from the ship graveyard to put on the wall.

Lefay Resort & Spa, Lago Di Garda, Italy

Photo courtesy of Lefay Resort

The Lefay Resort & Spa in Italy is an eco-resort with low impact on the environment and respect for local traditions and nature. It is the first southern European hotel to obtain the Green Globe environmental certification.

One of the main focuses of the hotel’s sustainability practices is reducing its consumption of thermal energy. This is all due to a power plant behind the resort containing systems for producing electricity, heat, and air conditioning using renewable energy sources, including a biomass system, a microturbine CHP plant, and an absorption cooling plant. The biomass system uses local wood to provide 70% of the facility’s heating, while the absorption cooling plant produces 75% of its cooling.

As water shortages in the summer are an issue for the region, the Lefay Resort reduces its consumption of water by using different systems for different needs. A rainwater collection tank is used for irrigation. Toilets and bathtubs that reduce consumption are also used. The swimming pools have a water refilling system that works based on the amount of people in the pool.

Karaya Blue, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Photo courtesy of Orior

Latitude 22, with help from partners Orior and Renu Energy, designed the micro-development resort Karaya Blue.

Each resort villa is outfitted with integrated solar electrical systems and an advanced water catchment and recycling system. They also include a home vehicle charger for the included eMoke, Polaris GEM e4, or Tesla Model 3 available in the villa.

Svart, Svartisen glacier, Norway

Rendering courtesy of Snøhetta

The Svart hotel in Norway is an energy-positive green hotel being constructed at the base of Svartisen glacier in Snøhetta. It will be the first hotel in the nation to earn “Powerhouse” certification by generating more energy than it consumes. The process of reducing its energy consumption begins with its construction and ends at the end of the structure’s life.

Svart plans to reduce energy consumption by 85% compared to other hotels in Norway, with plans to fully operate using its own electricity and waste management systems within five years.

B3 Hotel, Bogotá, Colombia

Photo courtesy of B3 Hotel

The B3 hotel is one of many examples of how Bogotá’s image is changing. Green hotels and green lodging options are becoming more common in cities around the world, and the capital of Colombia is no exception.

The B3 hotel is famous for its vertical garden with 25,000 plants on the building’s exterior. The hotel also encourages its guests to borrow bicycles to travel and has eliminated often unused amenities like mini bars in an effort to save energy.

Rafael Picó contributed to this article.

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• Healthy, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly learning institutions have a positive impact on students, teachers, and the world at large.
• Sustainable school design can reduce carbon emissions, lower operating costs, and provide healthier indoor environments, higher attendance rates, and improved productivity.
• Daylighting, green building materials, and flexible design are just a few of the strategies used in sustainable school design.

K-12 schools spend approximately $8 billion annually on energy and emit an estimated 72 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of 18 coal-fired power plants per year, according to the DOE. How can school design reduce its carbon footprint?

Let’s consider the nature of sustainable school design. In this article we explore the benefits associated with green schools, investigate the most popular strategies and trends in eco-friendly school design, and explore 14 real-world examples of sustainable school architecture.

What is Sustainable School Design?

Annie E. Fales Elementary School is a sustainable school in Massachusetts that boasts net-positive carbon status, producing more power via renewable energy than it requires in a year’s time. Photo by Ed Wonsek

Sustainable school design may be described as a subset of the broader sustainable architecture movement—one that seeks to construct healthy, efficient, and ecologically friendly learning facilities whose operations have a positive impact on both people and the planet as a whole.

The USGBC’s Center for Green Schools defines a sustainable or green school as one that reduces environmental impacts and costs, improves occupants’ health and performance, and provides effective sustainability education. In practice sustainably designed schools achieve these goals by drastically limiting energy and water use, reducing waste production, protecting nearby natural habitats, minimizing exposure to VOCs and other toxins, maximizing natural light, and more.

Benefits of Sustainable School Design

While the initial benefits of sustainable school design—e.g. improved energy efficiency and fewer emissions—may seem obvious, there are also a plethora of lesser-known benefits that come with designing sustainable academic facilities.

Reduced Environmental Impact

To help reduce its overall environmental impact, the Thaden School utilizes renewable energy, employs natural landscaping techniques, grows a large portion of its own food, and composts its organic waste in a closed-loop system.

The main benefit of sustainable school design is that it helps to reduce the environmental impact of the buildings we learn and teach in—something that is undeniably necessary if we hope to stop or slow climate change.

Schools that implement sustainable design strategies tend to operate much more efficiently than conventional schools and, as a result, generate far fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Many schools also take steps to reduce their water usage, helping to conserve water and effectively mitigate excess stormwater runoff.

Lower Operating Costs

Canyon View High School operates 75% more efficiently than a traditional high school. Photo by Tom Reich

Schools that implement sustainable design strategies focused on reducing energy consumption—such as daylighting, natural ventilation, geothermal heating, higher levels of insulation, et cetera—predictably have lower operating costs than those designed to conventional building standards.

A 2006 report called “Greening America’s Schools: Costs and Benefits” found that green schools used 33% less energy and 32% less water than schools which did not feature sustainable features. Similarly, a more recent study of schools in Toronto found that LEED-certified schools had 28% lower operating costs compared to both conventional schools and even those that had undergone deep energy retrofits.

Healthier Indoor Environments

Designed by Equipo de Arquitectura, the Child Care Center in Paraguay is constructed from non-toxic, sustainable materials that are low in VOCs, making for a healthier learning environment. Photo by Federico Cairoli

Sustainably designed schools place a high priority on using green building materials, daylighting systems, solar-shading solutions, and high-efficiency ventilation systems. Altogether these strategies help ensure schools provide adequate air circulation, maintain stable humidity levels, and minimize the entry of dirt, dust, pollen, mold spores, or other small particulate matter that might otherwise cause or trigger respiratory illnesses and afflictions.

Higher Attendance & Teacher Retention Rates

Sustainable schools typically have lower levels of indoor air pollution and better ventilation than conventionally-designed schools, reducing the spread of germs and improving attendance rates. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty, Hall + Merrick Photographers

According to the CDC, students ranging between the ages of 5 and 17 miss an estimated 14 million school days each year due to asthma, and teachers have a much higher risk of developing asthmatic conditions than almost any other non-industrial worker group. This is often attributed to the fact that schools are among the worst offenders when it comes to effectively maintaining indoor humidity levels within the optimal range (30 to 50%), which in turn increases the amount of exposure to allergens, irritants, germs, and other airborne pollutants.

Schools that have been designed with sustainability in mind typically do a better job at maintaining that optimal humidity level and often make use of highly-efficient ventilation strategies that filter out or exhaust the bulk of pollutants before they are inhaled. This translates to higher attendance rates and reduces the risk of large-scale virus transmission amongst students.

Another benefit of sustainable school design is the effect it has on teacher retention rates. A report on the impact of green schools in Washington state found that implementing sustainable design strategies reduced teacher turnover rates by approximately 5%.

Improved Productivity & Test Scores

Schools that incorporate sustainable design strategies—such as daylighting—tend to have higher productivity rates and test scores. Photo by Albert Vecerka

Because schools that implement sustainable design strategies typically feature ample daylighting and improved indoor air quality—both of which are known to positively affect cognition—they also tend to have higher productivity rates and test scores.

A year-long study conducted by the Heschong Mahone Group in 1999, for example, collected data on the amount of daylight available in more than 2,000 classrooms across three school districts in California, Washington, and Colorado. In the California district the study found that students in extremely sunny classrooms advanced 26% faster in reading and 20% faster in math than students in daylight-deprived classrooms. In the Washington and Colorado districts ample exposure to natural light increased test scores between 7 and 18%.

Sustainable School Design Principles & Trends

Sustainable school design trends tend to align with the overarching principles associated with sustainable architecture as a whole. Some of the most popular include:

Daylighting

Solatube’s work at Flora Arca Mata Elementary allows for future design flexibility. Photo courtesy of American Modular Systems

Perhaps the most prolific and popular trend in sustainable school design, daylighting—or the intentional use of light-admitting devices to illuminate an interior space via natural sunlight—is more than just a means of saving energy. It also improves student mental health and well-being.

Receiving adequate sunlight throughout the day is crucial to maintaining the body’s circadian rhythm—or the internal clock that helps control and regulate various bodily functions and systems. “By exposing your body to daylight throughout the day, your healthy human circadian rhythm will have a significant role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle and have a positive impact on your eating habits and digestion, body temperature, hormone release, and other important bodily functions,” Neall Digert, vice president of innovation and market development at Kingspan Light + Air, wrote in a previous gb&dPRO article.

Students who learn in sunny classrooms have been observed to be more attentive, are capable of concentrating better and for longer periods of time, and generally learn more efficiently than students in artificially lit classrooms.

Energy-Efficient Windows

Many schools have large windows throughout their campuses to let in as much light as possible, but the most sustainable schools install windows that aren’t just large, but energy-efficient. This helps prevent a significant amount of energy waste, as the DOE estimates anywhere from 25% to 30% of a building’s heating and cooling energy is lost through its windows. There are two main characteristics that improve a window’s energy efficiency: increasing the number of panes and the use of a low-emissivity coating or film.

Increasing the number of panes in a window helps improve its overall insulative quality, with most energy-efficient windows containing two or three panes of glass. An inert gas such as argon or krypton fills the space between each pane, reducing the amount of heat transferred through the glass itself. To protect against UV rays and prevent unwanted solar heat gain, a low-emissivity coating is then applied to the glass, reflecting solar energy without compromising natural daylight admittance.

Energy-efficient windows also help to improve concentration in the classroom, as double- and triple-paned windows provide better outside noise reduction than traditional single-pane windows.

Skylights & Light Tubes

Skylights and light tubes are two other daylighting solutions often employed in school buildings that allow for greater admittance of sunlight throughout the day. The Flora Arca Mata Elementary School in Stockton, California, for example, made extensive use of Solatube’s SolaMaster Series 750 DS tubular daylighting systems in order to work around design constraints that would not have allowed the placement of large windows found in most schools.

These light tubes collect sunlight from the rooftop and funnel it through highly reflective tubes into the classrooms below, providing consistent illumination throughout the day. In this manner, students are still able to receive the positive cognitive and psychological benefits of sunlight without requiring the installation of large windows. Solatube also provided Daylight Dimmers for each system installed, giving teachers the ability to easily adjust classroom daylight levels.

Solar Shading

Strategically sized roof overhangs provide shade and reduce energy consumption at the Wintringham Primary Academy in England. Photo by Hufton+Crow Photography

A key component of passive solar design, solar shading refers to those features used to optimize the amount of solar heat that enters a building. Effective solar shading devices serve to block solar heat gain during the hottest months of the year (to prevent overheating) while still allowing sunlight to enter during the coldest months in order to exploit its thermal properties.

The Wintringham Primary Academy in St. Neots, England is prime example of effective solar shading in action. The dRMM–designed academy uses passive solar shading and a wider overhang on the school’s south-facing side than its north side. This feature helps block excess solar heat gain from the high-angled summer sun while still allowing solar energy to enter during the winter for passive heating.

Improved Ventilation

The Child Care Center’s glass walls may be slid open to facilitate natural ventilation, blurring the line between indoor and outdoor space. Photo by Federico Cairoli

Technologies to improve ventilation, air circulation, and indoor air quality are often overlooked in sustainable school design.

Natural Ventilation

Mechanical HVAC systems can help circulate air throughout a building, but they don’t always do a great job of expelling pollutants, and they often create stale indoor environments. Natural ventilation systems, on the other hand, pull in fresh air, circulate said air, and then remove that air in a continuous cycle driven by the volumetric pressure differences caused by either wind or buoyancy.

Studies have shown that breathing in fresh air helps improve oxygen flow to the brain, which in turn promotes enhanced cognitive function, memory retention, and concentration—all of which are conducive to a productive learning environment.

Heat & Energy Recovery Technology

Natural ventilation isn’t always possible—especially for schools located in dense urban areas with higher concentrations of outdoor air pollutants. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to sustainably improve ventilation and indoor air quality. High-efficiency HVAC systems, for example, may be outfitted with either heat or energy recovery capabilities.

Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems are incredibly efficient and are typically capable of recovering at least 75% of the heat from incoming or outgoing air. A ventilation system with balanced heat recovery ensures that a building always receives plentiful, nearly room temperature fresh air year-round, making for a much more comfortable indoor environment and drastically improving indoor air quality.

Use of Nontoxic & Low-VOC Materials

Designed by VMPDE, the IBOBI Super School is in Dachong, the tech hub of Shenzhen. Photo by ZC Studio

Sustainable school design also places a high priority on using non-toxic, low-VOC materials and products in place of mass-produced, non-renewable building materials. These materials tend to have lower embodied carbon, create fewer GHG emissions during their procurement, processing, and manufacturing, and do not leach as many harmful chemicals or compounds into the air over time.

To ensure the environment is as healthy and student-friendly as possible, many sustainably designed schools take care to prioritize materials and products bearing the Red List–free label. The International Living Future Institute’s Red List is a comprehensive guide to the “worst in class” chemicals, materials, and elements known to cause serious harm to human and ecosystem health. Red List–free products fully disclose 100% of their ingredients at or above 100ppm in the final product and do not contain any chemicals on the Red List.

Offsite Prefabrication

The Henderson-Hopkins School in Maryland makes use of precast concrete in its buildings’ exterior cladding systems. Photo by Albert Vecerka/Esto

Offsite prefabrication, or the preconstruction of certain building components that are then transported to, and assembled at, the job site, is another trend. Prefabrication reduces onsite construction times, improves a building’s overall energy efficiency, and the highly controlled and closed environment makes for a tighter envelope with fewer gaps for air to leak from.

Entire rooms or modules can be prefabricated off-site, but the most common occurrence of prefabrication technology in sustainable school design is the use of precast concrete panels and slabs. The Henderson-Hopkins School in Baltimore, for example, uses grooved precast concrete exterior cladding to mimic the “form-stone” commonly found throughout the city’s architecture.

Renewable Energy Integration

King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex utilize both solar and geothermal power to supply energy for heating, cooling, and ventilation. Photo courtesy of William Rawn Associates

Integrating renewable energy sources into educational facilities is a growing trend, especially when it comes to solar power. This is largely because many schools are constructed in open areas that receive little-to-no shade throughout the day—conditions that are ideal for the installation of rooftop solar panels or photovoltaic arrays.

Geothermal heating and cooling is another form of renewable energy that is slowly becoming more and more commonplace within the field of sustainable school design, as evidenced by the King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools in Chicago, which utilize a total of 190 closed-loop geothermal wells to supply radiant heating, cooling, and displaced ventilation to their classrooms. Kate Bubriski, director of sustainability and building performance at Arrowstreet—the firm that designed the school—told gb&d that they chose geothermal because “ground source heat pumps were the most efficient systems and have reliable maintenance and durability.”

Integrating renewable energies is also more-or-less a requirement for schools seeking to achieve Net Zero Emissions status and can help a school earn credits for LEED certification.

Flexible & Adaptable Floor Plans

The ENC Nature Preschool was designed by LPA for maximum flexibility, with large classrooms and movable furniture. Large sliding glass doors allow for classes to extend to the outdoors when needed, effectively doubling the room sizes. Photo by Cris Costea Photography

In anticipation of future growth and reconfiguration, many modern schools are designed with flexible, adaptable floor plans that allow for classrooms and communal spaces to be changed around without requiring a complete renovation. By designing for flexibility from the outset, schools are able to extend their lifespan and reduce the amount of construction waste generated over the building’s operational life cycle.

Canyon View High School in Arizona is one school that has taken measures to maximize classroom flexibility. Designed by the DLR Group, Canyon View is laid out as a series of customizable learning suites that can stand alone or be connected or and resized to suit a variety of settings. “These are highly flexible learning suites that have a variety of environments in them, so they’re not your not typical ‘cells and bells,’” Todd Ferking, principal at DLR Group, previously told gb&d. Flexible, dynamic learning spaces like these help to engage students and provide them with a real sense of place.

Flexible design is also exemplified by the ENC Nature Preschool in Newport Beach, whose classrooms are easily reconfigured and feature movable walls that allow indoor spaces to open up to the outdoors at a moments notice.

14 Examples of Sustainable School Design

Here are a few inspiring examples of sustainable school design from around the world.

1. Annie E. Fales Elementary School, Westborough, MA

The Annie E. Fales Elementary School in Massachusetts uses solar and geothermal power to produce more energy than it uses annually. Photo by Ed Wonsek

As the first net-positive energy public school in New England, the Annie E. Fales Elementary School blends sustainable and educational design to foster a sense of environmental and social responsibility in young students from an early age.

Designed by HMFH Architects, the Annie E. Fales Elementary School earned net-positive status by employing a rooftop photovoltaic solar grid and 40 geothermal wells to generate its power. HFMH chose to install a sawtooth roof in order to maximize surface area for the school’s south-facing PV panels and increase their efficiency. These renewable energy systems allow Fales to produce 11.6% more energy than it needs.

Fales’ interior learning areas are organized into four project areas, each of which are centered around different landscapes found in Massachusetts: forest, meadow, marshland, and pond. Each area corresponds to a specific grade level and boasts a unique, biome-specific color palette as well as storybook-style murals.

“The murals help get the students excited about where they live, wanting to get out and explore as well,” Caitlin Osepchuk, project architect and associate at HMFH Architects, told gb&d in a previous article. “And foster that love of the environment so they’ll continue to make positive sustainable choices in the future to help maintain the ecosystems they live in.”

2. Thaden School, Bentonville, AR

Thaden School sits on a 26-acre site in Arkansas. Here, the Home Building is seen in the rear of campus. Photo by Tim Hursley

Owned and operated by the Walton Family Foundation, the Thaden School is an independent middle and high school in Arkansas that stands out thanks to its extensive implementation of green building strategies and unique curriculum. The campus includes seven buildings and was designed by EskewDumezRipple in collaboration with Marlon Blackwell Architects.

The Home Building is one of the school’s most impressive structures, with a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen and dining hall. It’s a hub for “learning by doing,” a principle that defines the school’s approach to education. At the building’s rear an ever-present water-lab collects a large portion of onsite rainwater and serves as a teaching opportunity for showcasing certain biological processes.

The adjacent landscape is also an expertly crafted learning opportunity. Designed for minimal maintenance while encouraging biodiverse plant life, the grounds around the Home Building are home to native ecosystems as well as orchards, planter boxes, and fruit and vegetable fields. These crops are harvested by students and then cooked and prepared in the dining hall for student meals. All organic waste is returned to the soil as compost fertilizer, creating one giant closed-loop system.

In the quad field next to the Home Building a geothermal well field acts as a giant battery and further helps to reduce overall energy costs. “The Home Building was designed to achieve an EUI of 23 or less. The baseline EUI for a typical high school building as defined by ASHRAE is 74 kBTU/sf*yr,” Christian Rodriguez, principal at EskewDumezRipple, wrote in a previous gb&d article. “This means the Home Building was designed to be approximately 70% more efficient than similar schools.”

Schools with an EUI of 25 or less are commonly considered to be zero energy ready—and with plans to add a rooftop photovoltaic solar array in the future, the Home Building is well on its way to achieving net-zero status.

3. P.S. 19X, New York City

Colorful window surrounds on the exterior exude a playful atmosphere at P.S. 19X, also known as The Judith K. Weiss Woodlawn School in the Bronx. Photo by Albert Vecerka

Designed by RKTB to LEED Gold standards, P.S. 19X is an addition to the existing Judith K. Woodlawn School that significantly improved the entire campus’ sustainability. The extension created capacity for 200 more students and added new administrative buildings, a double-height gymnasium, combined cafeteria and auditorium, and a new street-level entrance with an inviting, and an open lobby complete with elevators to ensure accessibility.

One of the things that RKTB prioritized when designing R.S. 19X was improving the school’s energy efficiency. “The backbone of sustainable construction is energy efficiency, and we employed systems and materials that help to reduce overall energy costs by more than 30% compared to the Green Schools Guide baseline,” Nelya Sachakova, an associate at RKTB, wrote in a previous gb&d article. “To relieve pressure on the HVAC system, we used R-15 insulation in the above-grade wall assemblies and R-10 in those below grade; roof construction included R-30 insulation under a performative cool roof that helps reduce heat gain.”

An incredibly airtight building envelope, daylight harvesters, lighting occupancy sensors, and a state-of-the-art building management system help to further reduce the school’s energy consumption. P.S. 19X also sources over 35% of its electricity from renewable energy sources, though it does not feature any on-site renewables itself.

P.S. 19X is also incredibly efficient when it comes to water usage. Low-flow fixtures and high-efficiency plumbing reduced the school’s water requirements by more than 30% above the Green Schools Guide baseline. Outdoor spaces were landscaped using a native bunchgrass that requires minimal maintenance and no permanent irrigation, effectively reducing the school’s landscaping water requirements to near zero.

RKTB also renovated the existing building, replacing all of the outdated administrative and assembly spaces with modern classrooms featuring ample daylighting and operable windows, as well as updated technology, materials, finishes, and systems.

4. Wintringham Primary Academy, St. Neots, England

A cross-laminated timber school building, designed by dRMM Architects, allows students to learn and play indoors and out. Photo by Hufton+Crow Photography

The dRMM-designed Wintringham Primary Academy is organized as two stacked floors of classrooms surrounding an inner landscaped courtyard, known as the grove—a layout that quite literally puts nature at the heart of the school’s design. “It’s quite radical and progressive, but it’s also looking back to 19th century models of schools,” Philip Marsh, a founding director at dRMM, previously told gb&d.

Encompassing roughly 32,464 square feet, the unique configuration of Wintringham Primary Academy allows natural sunlight to flood the entire building while also making natural cross-ventilation possible, greatly reducing the need for artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation. An energy-efficient building envelope and strategic solar shading features also help reduce the school’s heating and cooling loads.

To reduce the school’s overall environmental impact even further, Wintringham Primary Academy was constructed primarily from cross-laminated timber (CLT), a type of structural engineered wood product with a load-bearing capacity similar to that of concrete or steel, but much lighter and significantly more sustainable. The school’s use of CLT effectively sequesters 166 metric tons of carbon, giving it just 49% of the carbon impact of a conventional school.

Much of the CLT was intentionally left exposed by the design team, in part to reduce the need for additional building materials but also to provide a natural warmth and reinforce the school’s connection to the natural world. A flexible, easily re-configured floor plan was implemented throughout the building to allow the school to adapt and evolve to future needs without necessitating a complete renovation.

Landscaped green spaces—including play areas, sports fields, and even nature trails—are positioned around the school, along with four acres of wildflower meadows and amenity grassland. Native grasses, perennials, shrubs, and trees were planted in order to attract a variety of crucial bird and insect species as well as reintroduce biodiversity to the area.

5. IBOBI Super School, Shenzhen, China

IBOBI Super School is located on the terrace of the second floor of a mall—one of few places in the area with large outdoor space. The outdoor terrace and the indoor space are well connected, forming an enclosed site. Photo by ZC Studio

Designed by VMDPE, the IBOBI Super School is a comprehensive kindergarten that provides a safe, healthy, and sustainable space for children to learn and play in a dense city with little green space.

On the second floor of a mall, the IBOBI Super School’s most impressive feature is its large outdoor terrace area, designed to be as flexible as possible and accommodate a range of activities. “Our key design elements are the redefinition of outdoor functionality, creating not only spaces for sports but also social interaction areas, hand-craft activities, outdoor STEAM courses, and greenhouse functionalities,” Vinci Chen, VMDPE’s team design director, previously told gb&d.

Large windows and a series of porches blur the division between indoor and outdoor spaces, allowing students and educators to enter and exit adjoining spaces freely regardless of weather conditions. Sustainable, child-safe materials—including vinyl flooring, stainless steel paint, EO grade environmental protection boards, water-based paint boards, and more—were used to construct both the interior and outdoor spaces.

Building constraints and IBOBI’s elevated location limited the amount of vegetation it could reasonably support, although the VMDPE design team did its best to incorporate greenery where possible, selecting a variety of Chinese silver grass as the main species.

6. Canyon View High School, Waddell, AZ

The exterior of Canyon View High School in Arizona, designed by DLR Group. Photo by Bill Timmerman

DLR Group designed Canyon View High School with a series of indoor and outdoor teaching spaces. These sustainable spaces include student dining, a learning stair, an athletic training corridor, outdoor project rooms, a maker space, broadcasting studio, theaters, and more.

All of the school’s interior spaces are daylit and glare-free, with large windows and skylights to reduce the need for artificial lighting. A geothermal ground-source heat pump supplies the school’s radiant floors with heat. Canyon View High School generates up to 20% of its own power using a 250 KW solar array.

One of the buildings on-campus also uses a BioPCM® ENRG Blanket® from Phase Change Solutions, which may be tuned to enable active heat absorption in the summer and release stored heat in the winter, reducing heating and cooling loads throughout the year. The school operates 75% more efficiently than a traditional high school located within the same climate.

7. Great Lakes Academy Charter School, Chicago

Originally a worship space, the first floor of Great Lakes Academy was converted to a combined cafeteria and gymnasium. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty, Hall + Merrick Photographers

Originally a campus owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Great Lakes Academy (GLA) Charter School is an inspiring example of adaptive reuse.

The Wheeler Kearns Architects—designed school occupies almost an entire city block in South Chicago, but that wasn’t always the case. When it first opened in 2014 GLA was simply a three-story brick building circa 1911, with two floors of classrooms and a cafeteria / gymnasium. Anticipating future expansion, Wheeler Kearns initially intended to construct a 30,000-square-foot building across the street, but GLA decided it made greater financial sense to acquire the entire campus and renovate the existing church, originally built in 1952.

“The former church building’s size, layout, and orientation were remarkably well-suited for the school’s program,” Emily Ray, a project architect with Wheeler Kearns Architects, previously wrote for gb&d. “A regulation middle school basketball court fits perfectly in the transept, and half of the student body can comfortably fit in the nave during each of two lunch periods. The team transformed the raised altar into a multipurpose performance stage and unique transverse climbing wall.”

A 4,000-square-foot lobby connects the two buildings and represents the only new construction on the site. Two other buildings—both in poor condition—were demolished to make room for a new turf field that helps divert stormwater and reduce groundwater runoff.

Repurposing these existing buildings was just the first step in improving the campus’ overall sustainability. To reduce the school’s energy consumption, the design team utilized variable refrigerant flow units and energy recovery technology to efficiently heat, cool, and ventilate the building, while thermally broken curtain-wall framing, skylights, and large windows drastically limit the need for artificial lighting. A native planted green roof was also installed to provide passive cooling, mitigate runoff, and reintroduce biodiversity to the site.

8. The Child Care Center, Villeta, Paraguay

Classroom walls open to green courtyard spaces. “We intended to make the experience of the place feel very comfortable and connected to nature,” says Horacio Cherniavsky of Equipo de Arquitectura. Photo by Federico Cairoli

Serving as both school and daycare, this center in Paraguay aims to encourage independent sensory learning and connect children with the natural world from a young age via biophilic design elements.

“We wanted children to be in contact with nature and natural materials at all times,” Horacio Cherniavsky, a founding member of Equipo de Arquitectura, told gb&d in a previous article. “We did not want to create the typical classroom where you feel you are inside a closed space.”

Designed by Equipo de Arquitectura the Child Care Center encompasses two classrooms, a dining room, and an administrative area, each of which is open to the outdoors on two sides. This design allows sunlight and fresh air to move through the classrooms, greatly reducing the need for mechanical heating and cooling, ventilation, and artificial lighting. During inclement weather, sliding glass walls may be drawn across these openings, offering protection without obscuring views of the surrounding landscape.

The walls are made primarily from rammed earth and are incredibly resilient—grounding the building within the environment while creating diverse colors, textures, and even smells that enrich the occupant experience. “It’s a sensory type of learning,” Cherniavsky says. “The experience of the space is what helps the child learn from his or her senses.”

Indoor plants, courtyard gardens, and green rooftops further reinforce the center’s commitment toward sensory learning, with the latter also helping to mitigate stormwater runoff and passively regulate interior temperatures.

9. Federal Way High School, Federal Way, WA

Federal Way High School, Washington. Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

The SRG Partnership-designed Federal Way High School is an inspiring example of sustainable school design that prioritizes the wants and needs of the students themselves while also balancing the concerns of the township at large.

To ensure the new school met the community’s needs and honored the site’s legacy as the location of Federal Way’s first school system, SRG Partnership conducted a range of forums to give people from all backgrounds voice in the design process.

“The vision for Federal Way High School was to honor the school’s heritage while celebrating its present and creating opportunities for growth into the future,” Ingrid Krueger, senior associate at SRG Partnership, previously wrote for gb&d. “The greatest hope for the school is that what exists now will inspire new generations of teachers, staff, and students to create their own stories, a renewed history, and a new place of pride in their community.”

Federal Way High School is separated into two halves—one half houses the auditorium, activity rooms, and gymnasiums while the other is almost entirely dedicated to classroom space. Connecting the two halves is a network of communal spaces that allow students to connect with one another or find solitude without being wholly isolated from their peers.

Ample daylighting solutions flood the school with natural sunlight and strategically located structural elements ensure that the classrooms and communal spaces may be reconfigured in the future if necessary. Ballfields, walking paths, and a storm pond habitat serve to further connect the school to the community, opening it up to the public rather than isolating it behind physical barriers.

10. The ENC Nature Preschool, Newport Beach, CA

The ENC Nature Preschool, designed by LPA Design Studios, was the region’s first LEED Platinum building. Photo courtesy of LPA

LPA Design Studios designed the ENC Nature Preschool (ENC) in Newport Beach as the first LEED Platinum building in the region.

The ENC Nature Preschool is also a net-positive building—generating 60% more energy than it uses. The ENC’s 8,000-square-foot, three-classroom preschool also operates at a net-positive, with renewable energy producing 105% of the school’s power. This is achieved through the use of a well-integrated array of photovoltaic solar panels and innovative energy-reduction strategies.

Passive design techniques like natural ventilation and optimized building orientation—angled to take full advantage of ocean breezes—help regulate interior temperatures without excessive reliance on mechanical HVAC use, whereas the facility’s large windows and butterfly roof allow for ample daylighting that reduces the need for artificial lighting.

“We researched historical climate data, which made it clear the site was ideally suited for a naturally ventilated building,” Rick D’Amato, design director at LPA, previously told gb&d. “We were able to eliminate the need for mechanical ventilation with operable windows, large sliding glass doors, and efficient ceiling fans to enhance air movement.”

The pitch of the school’s butterfly roof also serves to direct rainwater into a series of rock basins and bioswales for effective stormwater mitigation.

11. Montgomery Middle School, Chula Vista, CA

Montgomery Middle School. Photo courtesy of LPA Design Studio

Originally built in the 1970s, the Montgomery Middle School in Chula Vista underwent an extensive expansion in 2015 to address existing water damage and accommodate a growing population. LPA designed this 37,500-square-foot addition to LEED Platinum and net zero energy standards, with a 217-kW photovoltaic system on the roof.

To reduce energy consumption LPA oriented the school on an east-west axis, reducing the amount of harsh exposure from the south, which in turn reduces solar heat gain and the need for mechanical air conditioning. Each classroom has its own high-efficiency HVAC unit linked to the campus’ energy management system.

Montgomery Middle School also features an innovative stormwater management system. Because of the school’s geographic location runoff quickly ends up in the ocean, meaning a stormwater treatment system was a must. LPA’s solution was to include a bioswale—or a channel that naturally slows and filters water before redirecting it elsewhere.

Other sustainable features include natural landscaping with drought-tolerant plants, light-colored surfaces to combat the urban heat island effect, energy-efficient lighting systems, light shelves that reflect light deeper into the building, and low-flow bathroom fixtures to conserve water.

12. Henderson-Hopkins School, Baltimore

Designed by ROGERS PARTNERS Architects+Urban Designers, The Henderson-Hopkins School opened in Baltimore in 2014. Photo courtesy of Albert Vecerka/Esto

The Henderson-Hopkins School in Baltimore is a safe, healthy, and sustainable development project designed to bring both educational facilities and community services under the same roof. The school is part of revitalization efforts spearheaded by East Baltimore Development and was one of the first projects in the Baltimore City Green Building Standards Program when it was completed in 2014.

The school accommodates children from 6 weeks old through 8th grade and serves as a family resource center that provides everything from health access to housing services. An auditorium, gym, and library are also housed on campus and are open to the public throughout the day.

ROGERS PARTNERS designed the campus as a microcosm of the city itself, with the school broken up into small-scale buildings—bisected by main streets and side streets—designed to serve two grades at a time. Each building features a flexible floor plan and includes an exterior classroom for students to learn in. “Having space that is set up from day one as an exterior learning space—I think that’s something we’re going to see more of,” Vincent Lee, an associate at ROGERS PARTNERS Architects+Urban Designers, previously told gb&d.

Almost 100% of the campus’ occupied spaces receive ample natural lighting, with 275 windows, 40 skylights, and a translucent daylighting system helping the school meet LEED daylighting requirements, drastically reducing the need for artificial lighting. Insulated precast concrete panels were used to construct each building’s envelope, greatly improving energy efficiency and reducing mechanical HVAC loads.

13. King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex, Cambridge, MA

Arrowstreet and William Rawn Associates chose geothermal heating to work alongside photovoltaics to power the King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex. Courtesy of William Rawn Associates

Encompassing King Open Elementary and Cambridge Street Upper School, administrative offices, a library, and even a public pool, the King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex in Cambridge, Massachusetts is the state’s first Net Zero Emissions and LEED Platinum-certified school campus

Arrowstreet and William Rawn Associates designed the King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex to achieve net zero status by leveraging geothermal and solar energy. The building uses 43% less energy than a typical school in Massachusetts and 70% less energy than the average school in the United States.

The campus features 190 closed-loop, 500-foot-deep geothermal wells that supply radiant heating and cooling to each building, as well as the air handling units supporting the project’s displacement ventilation system. A grid of approximately 36,000 facade and roof-mounted photovoltaic panels generate a large portion of the school’s electricity.

“The technologies needed to design the building to net zero, including geothermal wells and photovoltaics, were less than a 1% increase in construction cost,” Kate Bubriski, director of sustainability and building performance at Arrowstreet, told gb&d in a previous article. “The significant operational savings from the low energy building and onsite photovoltaics make the return on capital investment fairly immediate.”

King Open/Cambridge Street Upper Schools & Community Complex also isn’t lacking when it comes to water conservation. Rain gardens, bioswales, and an innovative water reuse system help the project effectively mitigate stormwater runoff while also reducing total on-site water use requirements.

14. Mark Day School, San Rafael, CA

The Mark Day School’s new Learning Commons, Creativity Lab, and Administration Building achieved LEED Platinum certification. Photo courtesy of EHDD

Originally built in the 1960s, the Mark Day School undertook a capital campaign in 2015 and 2016 to fund the demolition and reconstruction of the existing Administration Building, commissioning local architectural firm EHDD for the project.

EHDD started by demolishing the existing single-story structure and constructing a two-story building in its place, one that housed not only Administrative offices but also a new Learning Commons (library) and Creativity Lab. The school’s existing central outdoor quad also received improvements, including the reorienting of the amphitheater and addition of new seating areas to foster a greater sense of community during weekly all-school meetings.

Like many modern educational facilities, the new building was designed with flexibility in mind—all of the tables are movable, walls slide, and the entire building itself is clear span, giving school administration the ability to reconfigure the space in the future if necessary.

EHDD emphasized daylighting solutions, solar shading strategies, high-quality insulation, and a highly efficient heat pump as part of its sustainable design strategy. A rooftop solar array supplies the Mark Day School with almost twice the amount of electricity the new building uses on an annual basis.

Stormwater is also collected from the roof and funneled through visible infrastructure into rain gardens in the courtyard, while bioswales help disperse ground-level runoff and encourage biodiverse habitat growth. All in all, these improvements helped the new building earn LEED Platinum.

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The post 14 Examples of Sustainable School Design appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Cushing Terrell combines historical preservation and environmental stewardship in the Montana State University Romney Hall renovation.
• The LEED Gold project transformed a space from 141 classroom seats to a building with 1,010 seats.
• Post renovation, Romney Hall is one of the most utilized buildings on campus.

There’s a thoughtful balance to maintain when modernizing historic buildings. We must honor the past, a building’s architectural style, its prior uses, and the stories of the people who’ve passed through its doors and experienced life within its walls. Then there’s the need to optimize the space and repurpose it for contemporary uses and the experiences and stories of new generations.

With the renovation of Montana State University’s (MSU) Romney Hall—a beloved, century-old icon on the university’s campus in Bozeman—we brought all the talents of our multidisciplinary team at Cushing Terrell to the task, including many people who themselves spent formative years at MSU.

A Little History

Photo by Karl Neumann

Our big priorities for the project were to make the building fully accessible, incorporate life-safety upgrades, optimize energy efficiency, apply sustainable design principals, maintain elements of the building’s Italian Renaissance Revival style, ensure a connection to history, and add at least 1,000 classroom seats.

Romney Hall was built in 1921 and 1922 as a physical education building. Named after George Ottinger “Ott” Romney, MSU’s head football and basketball coach from 1922 to 1927, the building comprised handball courts, a running track, a swimming pool, and a gymnasium that could seat up to 3,000 spectators.

In the 1960s and ’70s the university built new athletic facilities and Romney was no longer a hub for activity. With most of the space in the 54,000-square-foot building unusable for teaching and learning, it had become obsolete in terms of present-day functionality but was ripe for reinvention.

As the largest and fastest-growing university in Montana, MSU knew it needed to renovate Romney Hall to fully utilize its square footage and add much-needed classroom space; however, there was a major hurdle to overcome.

Making Up for Lost Time

One of the challenges we faced with this project was the time it took for the Montana State Legislature to approve funding. We waited through four legislative sessions, each time anticipating the need to reconvene the design team. We interviewed for the project in 2012, began programming and schematic design in 2015, picked up design development in 2017, and completed construction drawings in 2019 when funding for the project was finally passed.

During this lengthy timeframe team members became engaged on other projects, became available again, and then took on new projects. Our ability to ramp up when the good news came was made possible by having all our design disciplines “under one roof” and the strength and cohesion of our teams. When looking back on the number of team members who contributed at some point to this decade-long project, it’s quite extensive.

Demolition & Design

Turning a 100-year-old athletics building—with a large gymnasium and pool—into functional classroom space was not a task for the faint of heart. This beautiful, old building was complicated because of what it was originally built to accommodate. Having completed an upfront historic preservation and structural analysis of the building prior to being awarded the renovation contract helped our team prepare and plan for what we’d encounter.

With the timing of the funding the project had an early demolition package, thus we were designing while the building was demoed. This was quite beneficial, as the insights gained during this process helped inform our design decisions, including what we could reuse. More than half of Romney’s building resources were preserved and reused, including structural elements, enclosure materials, and permanently installed interior elements. More than 2,300 tons of construction waste were recycled and/or reused—ultimately diverted from the landfill.

As the design intent was to leave existing finishes exposed wherever possible, we used knowledge gained from the demolition to verify which areas were acceptable as they were and which needed additional treatment. We were also able to locate the mechanical/pipe chases that existed throughout the building and determine if they could be reused and coordinate pipe routing for new radiators.

During demolition we discovered each floor was a different height (to accommodate the athletic functions) with clay-tile interior partition walls where the poured concrete floor elevations varied from one side of the wall to the other. Thus the design called for stair landings to be adjusted, floors to be ground down with infill added, and sloped floor transitions to be incorporated to tie everything together as seamlessly as possible.

To overcome access issues caused by the varying floor levels, the interior circulation areas were completely removed, except for the north stair hall, which was retained as a character-defining feature. The narrow corridors, south stairs, and pool were all replaced with a new grade-level entry corridor that leads to the Veterans Support Center and Office of Disability Services.

To extend the life of the building for many generations, give all students access to all floors, and maximize classroom space, the Romney Hall renovation involved extensive structural alterations. Floor space added inside the historic structure placed new loads on the existing structural elements and required the strengthening of the foundation components, which also included seismic upgrades.

Accessible & Energy-Efficient

Photo by Karl Neumann

Creating accessibility for all and achieving optimal energy performance were two of the primary goals for the project. Because of the complexity of the interior spaces and the need to fully utilize those spaces as learning environments, our design team collaborated with the State Historic Preservation Office to come up with a sensitive solution to achieve the desired results.

The solution was to replace the existing stair tower on the south side of the building with a new stair/elevator core addition. The enclosure is made of aluminum curtain wall, which provides a high degree of transparency to reveal the historic brick wall while the elevator shaft is clad in dark-colored perforated metal panel, which captures solar-heated air. Using SolarWall technology this heated air is incorporated into the building’s HVAC system to reduce energy consumption and heating costs.

The building also benefits from a high-efficiency geothermal-energy system under the Romney Oval—an open space situated north of Romney Hall. The geothermal system will serve other nearby buildings as part of MSU’s campus-wide energy master plan being developed by Cushing Terrell’s Energy Services team and will be one of several energy districts on campus.

The SolarWall technology, HVAC system upgrades, building enclosure upgrades, and new, replica steel windows all contribute to improving the building’s energy performance by 40.9% compared with a baseline building designed to meet minimum code requirements.

Aligning with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings, the new stair/elevator addition differentiates from the historic structure while ensuring historic materials and features are still seen and celebrated. The addition also serves as a teaching tool, along with the other systems and solutions implemented at Romney Hall. Educational tours for architectural and engineering students and other interested groups have been a regular part of the project, and they continue today.

Carving Out More Space

A variety of different-sized classrooms, collaboration, and study areas were designed throughout the building. The Mathematics and Statistic Center includes breakout spaces outside the center. Photo by Karl Neumann

Photo by Karl Neumann

The renovation and repurposing of Romney Hall not only preserved a state historic treasure but also provided much-needed upgrades to accommodate the expansion of student services and meet educational and accessibility needs.

The result was the creation of 17 new classrooms, student-focused collaboration and study areas, and space for high-impact programs like the Travis W. Atkins Veteran Support Center, the Office of Disability Services, the Writing Center, and the Dr. Christopher B. Lofgren Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Statistics Center.

Accessible restrooms, family care facilities, and single-use toilet rooms are now available on each level, and the building is comfortable and efficient with new mechanical, electrical, and fire suppression systems.

Additional breakout spaces and study areas along a stairway/hall corridor to optimize the space. Post renovation, Romney Hall is one of the most utilized buildings on campus.

Overall Romney Hall was transformed from a building with 141 classroom seats to a building with 1,010 seats. Where did all the new classroom space come from?

New floors were inserted above existing spaces on the third floor to provide approximately 13,000 square feet of additional area for classrooms and student study space. New, usable space was also created at what is called “level zero” through selective excavation that lowered the floor to provide the required headroom in new 100-seat classrooms.

Additionally our team was able to meet the 1,000-plus-seat goal by designing various classroom types that range from 24-seat instructional rooms to a 300-person lecture hall, or “classroom in the round,” that showcases a section of the former gym floor.

Preserving History

One of the things we took great joy in was repurposing the historic materials and features for other things.

For example, marble wall panels were used as decorative elements, now displayed along the staircase, and were even repurposed as shower stalls.

The original terrazzo floors in the north stair were cleaned and restored while complimentary terrazzo tile was installed in high-traffic areas.

The original gymnasium balcony suspension rods and hardware at level four were left exposed, serving as a memory of past athletic events, and inspiring the detailed metal components for the new grade-level walkway, stairs, guardrails, and other interior elements.

Design for the Future

Glimpses of the past, like the gym floor, align with the goal of honoring Romney Hall’s history and celebrating the building’s evolution. Photo by Karl Neumann

Romney Hall is also well-positioned for the future, not only in terms of the classroom space and student services it provides but also as a cornerstone of MSU’s campus energy district development. Romney Hall and the geothermal field under Romney Oval will connect to future buildings on the Grant Street corridor. This energy district will further reduce campus carbon emissions and provide opportunities for buildings on campus to share energy.

Like other great universities, MSU’s forward-thinking commitments ensure its actions benefit the students of today and tomorrow. This means being a good caretaker of the past and the future, providing best-in-class student services and learning environments, and building on MSU’s legacy.

Sustainable Design Achievements

Additional breakout spaces and study areas along a stairway/hall corridor optimize the space at MSU’s Romney Hall. Photo by Karl Neumann

While there’s much to celebrate about Romney Hall, these are the project’s most notable sustainability achievements:

Campus-wide Commitment. The ninth LEED building on the MSU campus, Romney Hall achieved LEED Gold and further demonstrates the university’s commitment to sustainability.

Building and Material Reuse. Nearly 55% of Romney Hall’s existing building resources were preserved and reused including structural elements, enclosure materials, and interior elements.

Energy Performance Optimizations. Guided by computer-based energy modeling simulations, the renovation improved the building’s energy performance by 40.9% compared to a building designed to meet minimum code requirements.

Commissioning. To verify that the project’s energy-related systems were installed, calibrated, and performed according to MSU’s high-performance building standards, the mechanical, electrical, hot water, and geothermal systems underwent a systematic quality-focused commissioning process.

Water Use Reduction. Through the installation of water-efficient fixtures, Romney Hall is expected to achieve a 33% indoor water use reduction compared to a baseline building designed without water efficient fixtures.
Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring. Permanent carbon dioxide monitoring systems were installed to track CO2 levels while allowing MSU facilities teams to ensure adequate outdoor air ventilation rates are maintained.

Acoustic Performance. To promote acoustic comfort and provide learning environments that facilitate effective communications and occupant well-being, the design includes materials and features to limit background noise and the transmission of noise between spaces.

Controllable Lighting Systems. Throughout the building newly installed controls provide a high level of lighting-system control, helping enhance productivity, comfort, and well-being.

Low-Emitting Materials. To promote a healthy indoor environment, the following measures were achieved: 100% of paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants used on the interior of the building met the standards for low-emitting materials; 100% of installed flooring-system products met the testing and product requirements for low-emitting flooring materials; and 100% of composite wood/agrifiber products used on the interior of the building do not contain added urea-formaldehyde resins.

Recycled Content. More than 25% of the total materials budget was invested in products with environmentally and socially preferable life cycle impacts, including sustainable forestry practices, products containing pre- and post-consumer recycled content, and products purchased from manufacturers who participate in take-back recycling programs that minimize material waste.

Environmental Product Declarations. Forty-two products with EPDs were installed. This earned Romney Hall an exemplary performance status for the sourcing of products and materials from manufacturers who have verified improved environmental life cycle impacts of their products.

Material Ingredients. Thirty-eight products with transparent disclosure of material ingredients were installed. This achievement exceeded the baseline requirement of 20 products and helps promote products and materials that evaluate and disclose human and environmental health impacts.

Construction Indoor Air Quality Management Plan. During construction an indoor air quality management plan was enforced to protect HVAC equipment, absorptive materials, and prioritize regular maintenance of the building to reduce indoor air contaminants.

Construction Waste Management. Throughout construction a total of 2,319 tons or 78.28% of all construction waste were recycled and/or reused and ultimately diverted from the landfill.

Project Details

Project: Romney Hall, Montana State University
Location: Bozeman, MT
Completion: 2022
Size: 54,000 square feet
Architects: Cushing Terrell, SRG Partnership
Contractor: Swank Enterprises
Engineer: Cushing Terrell
Interior Design, Lighting & Landscape: Cushing Terrell
Energy Modeling & Envelope: Cushing Terrell
Theatrical/AV: TEECOM
Acoustical Engineer: Big Sky Acoustics
Geothermal Consultant: Major Geotherma
Awards: LEED Gold

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The post MSU Romney Hall Renovation Preserves History While Making Room for the Future appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Lincoln Yards’ first major project, 1229 W Concord, recently opened on the Chicago River.
• Bird-friendly glass, expansive balconies, and a sculptural staircase reveal a commitment to beauty and sustainability.
• The design team at Gensler brought the feeling of hospitality to the life sciences project.

An eight-story-building overlooking the recently revitalized Chicago River sets the tone for Lincoln Yards—Sterling Bay’s new 53-acre mixed-use community in a once heavy industrial area of Chicago. The project at 1229 W Concord encompasses 285,000 square feet and is leasing for life sciences companies.

The building’s relationship to the river was critical to its design, according to Gensler Principal Michael Townsend. “This project is the first picture of what this area could look like in the future and the community’s connection to the river,” he says.

As a life science building, he says it emphasizes Chicago’s commitment to the industry. “It’s saying, ‘Hey, we want to make an investment in life science. We see a lot of great potential for life science in Chicago, and we think a lot of that could happen at Lincoln Yards.”

Inspiring Interiors

Lori Mukoyama, the design principal at Gensler who led the interior design at 1229 W Concord, says the team mixed and matched bespoke furniture, layered rugs, and plants. “We’re not doing one vendor anymore. We’re definitely having more fun with it.” Photo by Kendall McCaugherty

To be clear, this is not your average life science building. For starters, while its exterior is dominated by glass, that glass is bird-friendly. Access to nature and a sense of openness abound, as balconies give people up-close access to the outdoors while city views are abundant. Inside, the interiors are inviting. A warm, neutral color palette draws you in, and public spaces are designed with cozy furniture, wood detailing, lamps, plants, rugs, and other aspects to make public spaces feel more like home.

It’s all inspired by the nature around the building, says Lori Mukoyama, the design principal at Gensler who led the project’s interior design. She and Townsend both have a hospitality background and said part of this building’s mission was to think differently about what people need—especially post-Covid.

A wood wall in the interior is a perfect example of doing things differently. Rather than a perhaps more expected glass wall—giving the feeling of airport security—Gensler thought, why not design something that feels more at home in hospitality? “I don’t want to go to work feeling like I’m going through a terminal every day,” Mukoyama says. “So we created a wood screen that has beautiful DNA. If you look at it from the side, it looks like it has a helix going through it, and then a bookshelf as well.” It offers security and separation, but it’s also aesthetically pleasing and multipurpose.

The design team wanted the interiors to feel like a continuation from outdoors—from water and nature to wood and glass. An enormous white circular staircase conjures the wind as it carries people to the second floor. The color palette reflects the greens and ombre tones of foliage, rugs are layered to provide a feeling of warmth, and woods are pulled from native species. “We’re trying to bring that whole experience inside the space,” Mukoyama says.

Much of the design was informed, perhaps surprisingly, by the sanatoriums of the 1800s and 1900s. While there may have been no cure for tuberculosis, the experts of the time knew access to fresh air and daylight made people feel better. “At the time buildings and architecture were not providing those things. It was a full building movement and the bones of what we think of as modern architecture today,” Townsend says. “If you look back at some of the sanatoriums of the time, you’ll see the direct inspiration we took from those in this building—with these long horizontal balconies and ample levels of daylight in the space, floor to ceiling glass, color palettes, and things like that.”

Light & Air

Those principles of light, air, and openness drove much of the project’s design, as those elements were top of mind when this project started and the design team was largely working from home. “We were all talking about the value of fresh air and access to outdoors and daylight. Those are the principles for a great building and environment for the people inside,” Townsend says.

It’s a really beautiful art piece and a nod to the ingenuity and the thinking behind life sciences.

Mukoyama says the lighting strategy was especially important, as it wasn’t all direct. When you think of a lab you may think of harsh lighting, and the team took great care to ensure that wasn’t the case here. “We wanted to take advantage of the architecture and the glass, taking advantage of full height space. Michael and his team were really conscious to carve out a tall lobby space. Everyone has access to that lobby, so then you give everybody the opportunity to have that nature and that closeness to natural daylighting.”

In the middle of the stairway—itself a work of art in the corner of the lobby—a stunning light fixture hangs, furthering the idea of the helix and adding more soft lighting. “We have a lot of soft cove lighting and indirect lighting. There’s a really beautiful glow. You feel very warm and comfortable, and it’s also very peaceful,” Mukoyama says.

Unlikely Pairs

The interior design of 1229 W Concord feels warm and inviting—more hotel or living room than life sciences building. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty

A lot of the design centered on pairing the unexpected—combining the comforts of home with the sterileness of life sciences. In the ceiling, a metal panel has acoustical benefits and provides beauty and a feeling of calm comfort, while the white and wooden staircase brings people together.

“It appears as a visually continuous ceiling, but it also helps absorb sound. Then, when you go up the stairs, you suddenly have an exposed ceiling. That’s so different because it slides right into this really beautiful, perforated, off-white ceiling panel,” Mukoyama says.

Wood stairs carry you up the stark white staircase. “That ribbon of wood on the inside of the stair becomes the foundation of flooring, to the second level of the amenity area, which is where we have smaller breakout conference rooms and communal tables. That encourages people to have those opening meetings and still to gather and congregate together in a different way,” she says.

Setting Expectations

The Gensler-designed 1229 W Concord building in Chicago builds upon the health and well-being principles established in early 20th century modernism—natural light, openness, and access to the outdoors—principles brought about by the tuberculosis pandemic. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty

From the beginning the design team and Sterling Bay wanted to set the expectation that people who work in this building want to take part in an outdoor lifestyle. They want to be connected to a broader Riverwalk experience that will ultimately travel through Lincoln Yards. “Putting the amenities on the ground level and the main conferencing space on level two with outdoor terraces was very intentional,” Townsend says.

Mukoyama says the design continues to reveal people’s desire for outdoor space as part of their daily work lifestyle. People demand access to nature, and they want spaces that feel more like home. You’ll find a beautiful fitness center on the ground floor, and the staircase is highly visible, encouraging people to walk to and from building amenities. “That already changes your mentality of what you’re walking up to.”

The stair itself is prefabricated in three steel sections, designed and engineered to be self-supported. “It’s a really beautiful art piece and a nod to the ingenuity and the thinking behind life sciences,” Mukoyama says.

Plants, too, are unexpected in a life sciences building, as such spaces are required to be more sterile due to contaminant concerns. “Since we created such a generous amenity and community space on the ground floor and on the second, we wanted to bring that to light.” They used the public area as an opportunity for biophilic design. “In the actual lab area you wouldn’t be able to do that, but in a lobby environment you can, so you get both experiences in this building.”

Design for the Birds

Lincoln Yards’ first major project, 1229 W Concord, is a life sciences building that overlooks the Chicago River. It was completed in 2023. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty

The building’s position along a migratory path meant considering serious bird-friendly strategies, too. Ultimately several levels of the building’s exterior glazing were outfitted with a subtle stencil pattern to avert bird collisions, protecting hundreds of species annually. It’s an expectation of all buildings at Lincoln Yards now, Townsend says.

[ps2id id=’bird’ target=”/]“Chicago’s one of the most heavily trafficked migratory paths on Earth, particularly in the United States. We have a particular problem here in Chicago with this. This building has a number of ways that it is helping to minimize those collisions,” he says.

The typical glazing in the tower is an insulated glass unit with the Solarban 90 low-e coating and a 0.23 solar heat gain coefficient. A silkscreened quarter-inch dot spaced two-by-four inches helps make the glass more visible to birds. The exterior reflectance of the unit is also only 12%, which Townsend says is very low compared to many modern buildings in Chicago. “This helps limit the reflectance of the sky in the glass, which can also disorient birds.”

Lighting can also interfere with birds’ navigation systems. “That’s one of the reasons many buildings in Chicago turn off their lights after a certain period of time,” Townsend says.

As part of Sterling Bay’s efforts to further establish the life sciences community in Chicago, 1229 W Concord plays a key role in this first phase of developing the heart of Lincoln Yards. While the state-of-the-art building is designed to be a home for innovation, it also sets a precedent for design that is both science- and people-friendly, as the project takes cues from hospitality at every turn.

“It was a very purposeful blending of maybe what you would expect in a more warm, hospitable environment, almost like your living room or a hotel or any other hospitality-based environment,” Townsend says. “Scientists are people, too. All the things we think are so valuable to the human experience are also valuable in a lab environment.”

Project Details

Project: 1229 W Concord
Location: Chicago
Completion: 2023
Size: 285,000 square feet
Architect: Gensler
Developer: Sterling Bay
General Contractor: Power Construction
Carpet: Tarkett
Terrazzo: Menconi Terrazzo
Lighting: Anne Kustner Lighting Design
Landscape Design: Site Design Group
Awards: Pursuing LEED Silver, WELL Health-Safety Certification, and the RESET Air Standard

A special frit on the glass that helps prevent bird collisions is part of Gensler’s design at the riverfront 1229 W Concord life sciences building in Chicago. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty

A high-performing facade and low-VOC materials round out the building’s design. “Everything we’re seeing architecturally is also a beautiful mix of sustainable materials,” Mukoyama says. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty

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The post Gensler’s Lincoln Yards Project Puts the Life in Life Sciences Design appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Sustainable health care design aims to construct efficient, environmentally friendly health care facilities while also improving patient comfort.
• The Hope Lodge in Houston is a home away from home for cancer patients and emphasizes the importance of daylighting in care.
• The VA Puget Sound Mental Health & Research Building in Seattle uses passive solar strategies to reduce HVAC use and recycles rainwater for a portion of its plumbing needs.

With the built environment responsible for approximately 40% of the world’s annual carbon emissions and the construction and design sector as a whole responsible for extracting more than 30% of the planet’s natural resources, it’s imperative that all buildings strive for improved sustainability. The health care sector is no exception.

Achieving sustainability in health care design is often easier said than done, as the very nature of health care facilities often requires that they consume more energy and produce more waste than the average building. This can require outside-the-box thinking and the need for innovative strategies to improve building performance and reduce energy load requirements.

What is Sustainable Health Care Design?

The third floor garden area at the new Stanford Hospital provides a place of respite. Photo by Will Pryce

Sustainable health care design is a subset of sustainable architecture dedicated to the design and construction of healthy, efficient, environmentally friendly health care facilities whose operations have a positive impact on both people and the planet.

WHO defines a sustainable health care facility as one that “improves, maintains, or restores health while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and leveraging opportunities to restore and improve it, to the benefit of the health and well-being of current and future generations.”

Sustainable health care design ultimately aims to reduce the overall environmental impact of the facility itself while at the same time improving social equity, patient comfort, and the productivity of health care providers. Strategies for achieving these goals typically include:

• Integration of renewable energy sources
• Implementation of daylighting solutions
• Inclusion of vegetation and green spaces
• Rainwater harvesting and reuse
• Installation of cool or green roofs
• Use of passive solar design principles
• Energy-efficient systems and appliances

Different types of health care facilities may have varied goals or methods when it comes to sustainability, but the foundational principles are the same. Here are 16 inspiring examples of sustainable health care design in action.

16 Sustainable Health Care Design Examples

1. Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation ACS Hope Lodge, Houston

The Perkins&Will Hope Lodge project was designed to locate all of the programs on the building perimeter and put the circulation route around the healing garden. Photo by James Steinkamp

Designed by Perkins&Will to the WELL Building Standard for the American Cancer Society, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge acts as a supportive home away from home for cancer patients and exemplifies the importance of daylighting when it comes to designing sustainable health care facilities. Daylighting is an element that Kingspan Light + Air’s Neall Digert calls “the number one amenity we can apply to a building that drives human satisfaction and comfort.”

Featuring a footprint similar to that of the traditional cloister, Hope Lodge encompasses 64,000 square feet and includes two towers wrapped around a central healing garden landscaped with native plants. Large windows flood the interior with natural sunlight, drastically reducing the building’s energy consumption, while advanced air cleaning and water filtration systems ensure a healthy indoor environment for patients.

Aside from helping to reduce energy loads, daylight is also extremely beneficial from a health care standpoint. “Exposure to natural light has been proven time and time again to have numerous benefits for people, from visual comfort to psychological and neurological benefits like improving mood, reducing stress, enhancing the body’s immune response, and allowing for better sleep,” Tori Wickard, senior project architect at Perkins&Will, previously told gb&d.

All of the lodge’s communal spaces are positioned around the central healing garden, allowing patients to take in the natural sunlight and enjoy biophilic views. Biophilia is also present within the lodge’s interior, which evokes and fosters a connection to the natural world through the use of wood, earth-tone colors, and natural geometries.

2. Rancho Los Amigos Recuperative Care Campus, Downey, CA

Photo by Ric Berryman

Designed by GGA+ to LEED Gold standards, the Rancho Los Amigos Recuperative Care campus in Downey, California provides physical rehabilitation services to the greater Los Angeles County community in a mindful, sustainable manner. Encompassing 6.8 acres, the park-like Ranchos Los Amigos includes a central Recuperative Care Center, five residential treatment program buildings, and several outdoor spaces.

“Conceptually the GGA+ team referenced a farming village as a site planning prototype appropriate to the history and culture of the campus,” Staci Nesbitt, principal architect at GGA+, wrote in a previous gb&d article. “Respecting the rich context of existing mature trees at the site, the proposed plan created an informal and organic organization of the buildings and associated outdoor spaces.”

Due to California’s propensity for droughts and prolonged dry spells, Rancho Los Amigos also practices water-wise landscaping to reduce its irrigation needs and on-site water requirements. A gray water recycling system supplies water to the campus’ few grass lawn areas, and the rest of the property features hardscape elements and pollinator gardens seeded with native, drought-tolerant plants—all of which allow the site to double as a habitat restoration project.

Other sustainability features include the production of onsite renewable energy via photovoltaic panels, use of high-efficiency VRF mechanical systems, and advanced building-level energy metering. Reflective roofing PVC, prefabricated wall panels with high levels of insulation, and energy-efficient siding and windows further serve to reduce Rancho Los Amigos’ energy needs.

3. Cedars-Sinai’s Los Feliz Urgent Care Clinic, Los Angeles

A new urgent care facility in the Los Feliz/Silver Lake area has a mural from a local artist inspired by the indigenous people who lived there and the local flower marts. Photo courtesy of Cedars-Sinai

Situated in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood and designed by Abramson Architects, the new Cedars-Sinai Urgent Care Clinic takes design inspiration from the area’s historic monuments and landmarks—namely the Samuel Novarro House and Ennis House, both designed by Frank Lloyd Wright—to match the diverse aesthetics and architectural styles of the surrounding area.

“Cedars-Sinai envisioned a building that is grounded in the neighborhood,” Zeke Triana, vice president of facilities and design at Cedars-Sinai, previously told gb&d. “You could never duplicate that building elsewhere in the community. It’s rooted in the Los Feliz/Silver Lake area and inspired by some of the beautiful architecture.”

Colorful murals were painted by local artists to reference the neighborhood’s iconic flower marts and pay homage to the region’s Indigenous peoples. The murals adorn the clinic’s street-facing facade, bringing life to the building and further grounding it within the community.

Non-structural matte black corrugated metal panels wrap around the clinic’s second floor exterior and serve as a rainscreen, helping to protect the building’s stucco finish and passively regulate temperatures. Large windows and a two-story atrium flood the interior with natural light to create a welcoming clinical environment.

“When you walk in, you feel the total environment has been curated for you, and the details really matter,” Triana says. “From how you access the campus to how you park to how you get to your destination to the artwork, landscaping, lighting—everything has been curated so you get that total experience. That really does create, we believe, an environment where healing can take place.”

4. Texas Children’s Hospital, Austin

The new Texas Children’s Hospital is being designed with a calming neutral palette and splashes of color. Rendering courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital

Slated to open in 2024, the Texas Children’s Hospital will provide both women and children with a variety of medical services. The facility is designed to mesh with surrounding landscape and features outdoor spaces where both patients and staff can relax and enjoy the fresh air.

Maximizing natural light was also important to the developers, resulting in numerous windows to allow patients the opportunity to see outside and take in sunlight even if they can’t get outdoors.

Inside the hospital’s theme centers around Texas’s landscape, with each floor reflecting a different biome. A neutral color scheme was selected for its calming effect, with splashes of color adorning the common areas to draw engagement and serve as wayfinding. Interesting and interactive design details are included where children can easily see them, giving them something to focus on other than their fear.

“One of the things that is very important with a children’s hospital is not to be scary,” Jill Pearsall, senior vice president of facilities planning and development at the Texas Children’s Hospital, previously told gb&d. “We’ve engaged the flora and fauna of our themed areas to welcome them—a little salamander in the pavement or peering out from under the welcome desk. He’s there to teach them, to be part of that educational process, and to be diversionary. We don’t want them just sitting there worried about seeing the doctor or having a procedure.”

5. UCLA Health’s Calabasas Campus, Calabasas, CA

Inside UCLA Health’s Calabasas facilities. Photo courtesy of UCLA Health

UCLA Health’s Calabasas Campus expertly marries patient-centric design with sustainable architecture to create a health care facility that is both friendly to the people and to the environment.

Large windows allow natural light to illuminate the building’s interior and serve to provide views to patients, helping to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. In rooms where windows are not possible, soft LED lighting is employed, as are biophilic elements like nature-themed artwork and natural materials.

One of the things UCLA wanted to ensure with the Calabasas Campus was long-term design flexibility. “After construction, whether one’s an exam room with an exam table and a hand-washing station or one has more furniture, we allow for flexibility along the way so if we determine we really need more exams than consults, we can convert that room easily,” Amy Kraft, director of UCLA Health Real Estate Planning, Design & Construction, told gb&d in a previous article.

Being able to easily convert rooms without necessitating a complete renovation is not only extremely convenient, but it also helps prevent future construction waste—reducing the project’s overall environmental footprint and life cycle impact.

6. Virtua Samson Cancer Center, Moorestown, NJ

The Virtua Samson Cancer Center in New Jersey. Photo courtesy of FCA

The Virtua Samson Cancer Center (VSCC) in New Jersey exemplifies how project teams can successfully repurpose an existing building for even more sustainable health care design.

Designed by Francis Cauffman Architects the VSCC is an inspiring example of how adaptive reuse may be implemented within health care architecture as a means of reducing waste. Originally built as an ACME supermarket, the VSCC now serves the community in another way, encompassing everything from radiation oncology to an infusion treatment and cancer administrative suite.

“Choosing to repurpose an existing building is a socially responsible and sustainable way to bring care closer to the communities that need it,” Aran McCarthy, principal of health care at FCA, previously wrote for gb&d.

To foster a sense of hope and healing while also prioritizing sustainability, VSCC uses high ceilings, vibrant artwork with nature scenes, and daylighting strategies to allow ample natural slight. Skylights are positioned above the building’s central concourse and the main gallery, helping to both improve internal wayfinding and the patient experience as a whole. A nearby garden further serves to connect patients to the natural world and is visible from the infusion treatment spaces.

7. Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, CA

A system of horizontal louvers and vertical fins breaks the building into smaller pieces, visually shrinking it for almost a residential feel. Photo by Steve Babuljak

Designed by Perkins&Will, the team behind the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto knows kids are often overwhelmed in hospital settings, which is why it practices patient-centric design to the highest degree. Spanning 521,000 square feet, the hospital is capable of housing nearly 150 patients.

“There was a lot of attention paid to the scale of the building,” Robin Guenther, sustainable health care design leader at Perkins&Will, previously told gb&d. “So the children won’t feel like it’s cavernous and like they’re lost in it.”

A bright, open lobby welcomes patients as soon as they enter the facility, while nature-inspired artwork and educational murals adorn the walls, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about local wildlife and take their mind off of the reason for their visit.

This connection to the natural world is reinforced throughout the hospital, both inside and out, in a myriad of ways. Each patient’s room features a planter box outside its window and gardens wind through the property, many of which feature animal sculptures and play equipment for the children to enjoy.

8. VA Puget Sound Mental Health & Research Building, Seattle

The VA Puget Sound Mental Health & Research Building in Seattle. Photo by Ben Benschneider

The US Veterans Affairs (VA) helps approximately 9 million veterans and their families nationwide, with more than 110,000 of those veterans residing in the Pacific Northwest alone. To better serve the region’s veteran population, the VA commissioned Stantec to design its VA Puget Sound Mental Health & Research (MH&R) Building in Seattle.

At 220,000 square feet, the MH&R building features the labs and patient rooms one might expect from a medical research facility and also includes group counseling spaces, a landscaped plaza, indoor rock garden, other quiet spaces, and three green roofs. These roofs are visually pleasing to patients, aid in reducing the amount and flow-rate of stormwater runoff, and help absorb heat and carbon dioxide. They also serve to collect and store rainwater that is then reused for flushing the building’s systems.

The MH&R building also employs ground-level stormwater mitigation and recycling tactics to help conserve water. “In the landscape out on the site there are bioswales and various means of dumping the water into the landscape, rather than sending it into storm drains and making it Seattle’s issue,” Ian Lawlor, project director at Stantec, told gb&d in a previous article. “We use very efficient irrigation systems to reduce the amount of water that we’re spreading into the landscape.”

Large, energy-efficient windows allow daylight to illuminate the MH&R building’s interior while also providing views, reducing feelings of stress, anxiety, and paranoia in patients. Some of these windows are designed to be operable so as to facilitate natural ventilation and bring in fresh air. “You’re not only getting daylight, you’re getting air circulation on a passive level,” Lawlor says. “Our approach is one of passive first, active second.”

Exterior solar shades help prevent excessive solar heat gain while radiant floors help heat and cool public spaces, providing optimal thermal comfort and reducing energy loads throughout the year.

9. Blackburn Center, Portland, OR

Ankrom Moisan Architects designed the Blackburn Center for Central City Concern (CCC)—a nonprofit that provides social services for the homeless and other vulnerable populations.

The center includes long-term and temporary affordable single-occupancy housing units, public gathering areas, fitness rooms, therapy and rehabilitation spaces, medical exam rooms, and more. The six-story Blackburn Center is intentionally located in Portland’s Hazelwood neighborhood to provide a closer alternative to the CCC’s clinic in downtown Portland. This location was also chosen for its proximity to bus and light-rail services, eliminating the need for large, space-devouring parking lots and allowing the addition of a small gathering space outside the front of the building.

To make the space more welcoming and inviting to a population increasingly targeted by hostile spikes-and-studs architecture, the Blackburn Center sports a bright front plaza, home-like gabled roof, and uses natural daylight throughout the building. “We’ve remained very cognizant that this is a pathway for mental and physical support,” Mariah Kiersey, project leader and a principal architect at Ankrom Moisan, previously told gb&d. Fresh air is supplied by a tempered air system while operable windows and efficient ceiling fans help keep the center cool without extensive reliance on mechanical heating and cooling.

Energy-efficient slotted windows, solar shades, and a rooftop solar panel array help offset the building’s energy usage, resulting in lower operating costs for CCC. Blackburn Center is also working towards Earth Advantage Platinum certification, further solidifying its commitment towards sustainability in all its forms.

10. St. Mary’s Medical Center (formerly Vision Northland), Duluth, MN

Essentia Health’s new hospital in Duluth. Rendering courtesy of EwingCole

In Duluth, EwingCole designed Essentia Health’s Vision Northland Hospital, now St. Mary’s Medical Center, with sustainability and patient well-being at the forefront.

To ensure patients receive adequate exposure to natural light during the day, Vision Northland’s patient tower is clad in a glass envelope, allowing for nearly 360-degree admittance of sunlight throughout the year. Overall the facility uses low-VOC products and natural materials—including wood and stone—wherever possible.

Like the Texas Children’s Hospital, Vision Northland’s interior designers leaned very heavily into establishing a cohesive, nature-inspired theme in the facility’s décor and art, with plentiful photos and graphics. “These graphics highlight local landmarks, regional history, flora, and fauna native to the North Shore and familiar to the local community,” Maria Papiez, director of sustainable design for EwingCole, previously wrote for gb&d. “The graphics are tailored for each floor, some directly representing these elements and others in more abstracted patterns and colors. These beautiful images support patients, family, and staff by building familiarity and comfort and serve the essential purpose of wayfinding throughout the building.”

Biophilic design strategies were also implemented so as to foster an even closer connection to the natural world. Plants can be found throughout the hospital’s interior and a rooftop terrace provides patients with a direct link to the outdoors.

11. SCVMC’s Sobrato Pavilion, Fruitdale, CA

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s Sobrato Pavilion treats victims of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury in a LEED certified, eco-friendly rehabilitation center. Photo by David Wakely

The Sobrato Pavilion is a state-of-the-art health care facility designed by Stantec that treats victims of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. The LEED Gold project encompasses 370,000 square feet and includes rehabilitation rooms, a large-scale aquatic therapy pool, 168 single-occupancy patient rooms, and other amenities.

Sobrato Pavilion is connected to other existing buildings on SCVMC’s campus by a green atrium lobby that functions as a “conservatory space,” according to Alan Codd—a member of the pavilion’s design team. Ample daylighting strategies are implemented throughout Sobrato Pavilion, with each patient room featuring large windows, giving patients as much control as possible over their environment.

To maximize the Sobrato Pavilion’s energy savings, Stantec reached out to Arup to provide the building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering services. “Health care is being very stringent [about energy consumption] on new constructions,” Jude Chakraborty, an associate at Stantec, previously told gb&d. “And as architects at Stantec, our advice helps guide those decisions. We’re getting them to where they should be, and things are looking good.”

Instead of a recirculating air system, the pavilion uses a 100% outdoor air heat recovery ventilation system to supply the interior with fresh air. Zone control technology with exhaust air valves and volumetric tracking supply was also implemented to reduce heating energy demand. Low-flow fixtures were also installed to reduce the Sobrato Pavilion’s water requirements. Arup estimates the facility’s energy cost savings to be approximately 33% and domestic hot water savings to be about 45%.

12. Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland

Cleveland Clinic takes a holistic approach to design for patients’ well-being. Photo by Robert Benson Photography

Completed in 2016, the 377,000-square-foot Taussig Cancer Center in Cleveland is a master class in sustainable, patient-centric design. It is one of the many health care facilities owned and operated by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and it shares the nonprofit’s holistic approach to creating simple, welcoming, and practical medical spaces.

“Nothing is physically daunting about coming into the space,” Chris Connell, chief design officer at Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Design, previously told gb&d. “It doesn’t have to be extravagant architecture. These are very basic architecture principles that are very near and dear to our hearts but have a big impact.”

Designed by William Rawn Associates in collaboration with Stantec, the LEED Silver center includes traditional treatment and infusion rooms as well as patient amenities like a pharmacy, cafe, meditation space, music/art therapy, and more—all with ample daylight throughout the year. Skylights and high ceilings create an open, airy, and well-lit environment while floor-to-ceiling windows flood the center’s treatment rooms with natural light, giving patients and staff with a view to the green courtyard outside.

13. Maggie’s Centre Barts, London

Maggie’s Centre Barts cancer center in London. Photo courtesy of Steven Holl Architects

Next to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and designed by Steven Holl Architects, Maggie’s Centre Barts is a welcoming space where people suffering from cancer and their families can receive emotional and social support.

Characterized by its matte-white finish and colorful inserts, the exterior is clad in polychrome insulating glass that minimizes solar gains and maximizes natural light, making it appear almost as though the building is glowing from the inside. Zoned LED lighting helps provide supplementary illumination in a controlled, efficient manner when necessary.

In an effort to maintain Maggie’s Centre Barts’ home-like feel, the design team elected to remove as many large mechanical systems as possible. It’s for this reason that the building uses natural ventilation strategies and sources its heat from the hospital next door. Exposed concrete was used to construct the center’s branching frame to leverage its high thermal mass, further reducing energy consumption. Inside the design team made extensive use of bamboo, with the walls, ceiling, and much of the loose and built-in furniture being built from this fast-growing, nontoxic renewable building material.

Maggie’s Centre Barts also boasts a green roof (something of a rarity in London) and a rooftop terrace, helping to improve the site’s overall air quality, ecological biodiversity, and stormwater management, while also fostering psychological well-being—an often overlooked benefit of urban green spaces.

“There are not just ecological advantages to having a green roof; it is also a nice thing for the user,” Dominik Sigg, associate at Steven Holl Architects, previously told gb&d. “The roof is on a slope so you can see it from the vantage point of the terrace, and it becomes part of the garden.” Both the green roof and terrace provide visitors with a connection to the natural world and offer spaces to participate in meditation, yoga, and other mindfulness activities.

14. Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care, Lebanon, NH

Photo courtesy of E4H

Designed by E4H Architecture and made possible by a $10 million donation from the Jack and Dorothy Byrne Foundation, the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative & Hospice Care in Lebanon, New Hampshire provides dignified end-of-life care while also serving as a hub for education and research on hospice and palliative care.

Completed in 2017, the 30,000-square-foot Jack Byrne Center encompasses 12 single-occupancy patient rooms, spaces for overnight guests, a kitchen, dining room, library, spa, meditation and exercise rooms, and more. Large windows supply the interior with natural sunlight while an earth-tone color palette, nature motifs, and natural materials like wood and stone serve as intentional biophilic design strategies, connecting patients with the natural world.

Prioritizing green building materials was a no-brainer for the E4H design team. “Why would we use products that emit toxic gas or are not friendly to the touch, if the environment that we’re creating is geared toward wellness?” Charles Rizza, associate partner at E4H, previously told gb&d.

To reduce the center’s carbon footprint and energy consumption, E4H elected to install a geothermal heating and cooling system, with an energy-efficient gas boiler acting as the building’s back-up power system. Combined with low-maintenance materials, these systems will allow the Jack Byrne Center to operate cost-effectively for years to come.

15. Family House, San Francisco

The Family House, completed in 2016, was designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects. Photo by Bruce Damonte

Designed by Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (LMSA) to LEED Platinum standards, Family House—owned and operated by the nonprofit of the same name—provides temporary free housing for low-income families whose children are being treated at the nearby UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.

The building can accommodate 80 families and is constructed from low-VOC materials. It’s designed using eight “neighborhoods,” each with 10 guest rooms with shared facilities to foster relationship-building while making efficient use of the space available.

“Instead of building 80 apartments with their own kitchens with refrigerators, sinks, cooktop, and dishwashers, we were able to build eight larger kitchens that could be shared amongst the cluster of families,” Gregg Novicoff, associate principal for LMSA, previously told gb&d. “Sharing resources allows for building less and furthers the building’s goals of creating community—where each of the families might have been making meals in the privacy of their own apartment, now they share in making food cooperatively.”

Family House relies on daylighting to bring natural sunlight into 100% of the public spaces and utilizes motion-sensor lighting, Energy Star appliances, a solar hot water system, and a cool roof to reduce energy use by 48%. A continuous filtered outdoor air ventilation system supplies the building with fresh, clean air while a low-pressure, high efficiency irrigation system delivers water to the biodiverse green roof, minimizing the loss of water through evaporation.

16. Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore

Photo courtesy of International Living Future Institute

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) is as much a garden as it is a health care facility—incorporating biophilia in almost every aspect of its design. In total, 18% of the hospital’s floor area accounts for blue-green space, with 40% of that space being publicly accessible—characteristics that helped KTPH earn the first-ever Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award. The project was designed by Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall (RMJM) Architects in collaboration with CPG Consultants.

Greenery extends from the hospital’s central courtyard into the open-to-sky basement and up into the upper levels of the buildings, with balconies featuring scented plants to bring the experience directly to patients’ bedsides. Multiple rooftop gardens—and even one rooftop farm that provides produce for the hospital kitchen—can be found across the campus. These plants help improve air quality, mitigate stormwater runoff, cool the surrounding air, and attract crucial bird and insect species.

The plentiful plants aren’t just good for the environment, though. They’re great for patients, too. “With Khoo Teck Puat we see that biophilic design elements and attributes should not only be considered as part of the design process, but also as part of the healing process,” architect Stephen Kieran, a juror for the Stephen R. Kellert Biophilic Design Award, told gb&d in a previous article. Studies show access to vegetation and green spaces has a calming effect on the mind and reduces feelings of stress, which can in turn help lower blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels.

KTPH also adopted the existing stormwater pond adjacent to the initial build site, converting it into a park that now serves the greater community. Native plant species were introduced to help clean the pond and foster biodiverse habitat growth, while walking trails were established in order to link the pond to the hospital and a nearby residential development.

Due to the KTPH’s V-shaped layout, breezes are able to first skim over the stormwater pond before bringing cool, fresh air to the hospital’s patients via natural ventilation. KTPH’s subsidized ward tower is also oriented so as to make the most of prevailing North and South East winds, reducing mechanical ventilation loads by approximately 60%.

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• A couple from London is committed to renovating a long neglected property in the Azores.
• Solar Branco Eco Estate on São Miguel Island in Portugal has eight eco-friendly suites and cottages.
• The hotel produces zero food waste, runs largely on solar, and educates guests about how they can make a difference environmentally.

Minutes from town on a large plot of farmland on the island of São Miguel sits Solar Branco Eco Estate—once an elegant summer home with a barn and pig sty that fell into neglect with leaking, untenable buildings and crumbling, overgrown rock walls. Today Solar Branco is an evolving adaptive reuse project of great proportion. It’s beautiful and luxurious yet environmentally aware, producing zero food waste and offering clean, simple, high-quality accommodation.

Caroline Sprod and her husband Ali Bullock first visited this area in the Azores in 2006 on their honeymoon. “We always had it in the back of our minds that one day we would love to go and live there,” Sprod says.

They didn’t have a hospitality or farming background, but they had a passion for sustainable design and gardening. Bullock previously worked in marketing, and Sprod has done all kinds of different work, including (and currently) as a forest therapy guide. They’re smart, ambitious, and entrepreneurial. Their journey ultimately took them from their home in London to Hong Kong for Bullock’s career and, finally, to the Azores. “When we lived in Hong Kong I had a rooftop garden, but everything was in pots,” Bullock says. “I figured if you can keep things alive in Hong Kong, you can garden anywhere.”

Sprod says they dreamed of one day starting a sustainable guesthouse. “We went on an exploratory trip to the Azores looking for a rundown property in the countryside that had interesting outbuildings—something quirky we could bring back to life. Straightaway we found this place.”

The land needed serious love but had clear potential. “We could see it could be something really beautiful, so we bought it and embarked on our journey,” Sprod says.

Restoring a Historic Property

Today the property that is the Solar Branco Eco Estate is home to impressive grounds, from the flowers and fruit-bearing trees to the boutique hotel accommodations, restored ruins, and even a bit of an accidental animal refuge. Photo by Rui Soares

Photo by Rui Soares

The 19th century property dates back to a time when many on the island were growing and exporting oranges to places like London. It was a brief period of riches for those farmers, many of whom then lost their fortunes when disease came in and wiped out their crop.

Before its most recent transformation, Solar Branco was a summer house; this was in the days before flights out of São Miguel were plentiful. Bullock says the previous owner lived in nearby Ponta Delgada and used the place as his vacation home. It had been for sale for several years, but no one seemed to want to take on the renovations needed. But Sprod and Bullock love saving things and saw its charm right away. Plus, they had a vision that was sure to succeed—and a dream to build something unlike any other accommodation on the island.

Education and Animals

Today old buildings, fallen timber, repurposed doors, salvaged plants, and even some unexpected animals find new life at the Solar Branco Eco Estate. Phrases like “rescue hedgehogs” and “the parakeets we saved” are as commonly heard from Bullock as the more expected “free-range chickens” or “frog ponds.” The hedgehogs, at least for one group of American tourists, were among the property’s biggest surprises. Bullock says they burrow among salvaged wood in a dark corner of the property on any given day, safe from curious and sometimes dangerous dogs. “We don’t feed them, but they have a place to stay and there’s enough to eat. If they want to stay they stay, or they can go.”

Ali and Caroline carefully remove a hedgehog. Photo by Rui Soares

You’ll also find three dedicated wildlife ponds, local birds, and a large area for the roaming chickens who eat any leftover food that doesn’t go to compost.

Neighboring cows still roamed the grounds when Sprod and Bullock purchased the property in 2018, but the land was incredibly overgrown at that time, and some of the century-old New Zealand Christmas trees had sadly been cut down. “We saved the others; thank goodness,” Bullock says.

A big part of owning Solar Branco is education. “We love showing people around,” Bullock says. He takes pride in the hotel’s truly environmental practices and wants to share that knowledge with guests.

The hotel aims to achieve at least 80% energy use from renewable sources like the solar panels on the property, for example, and they strive to keep all of the grass natural.

“A lot of so-called eco hotels have perfect cricket grass, which of course doesn’t have any flowers for the bees. There are hotels here where you see that it’s all beautifully manicured, but it’s no good for the wildlife. We explain to people that we don’t cut the grass because we want to keep the wildflowers for butterflies and insects. You have to maintain it a bit, but we try to keep it as natural as we can.”

Today you’ll find limes, lemongrass, avocado, mangoes, strawberries, pineapple sage, honeysuckle, and morning glory, among other beautiful and delicious offerings, plus plentiful clover for the bees. He points to budding coffee plants, one of his latest endeavors, and laughs. “We won’t be taking on Starbucks anytime soon,” he says. He pulls a guava from a tree and encourages a guest to take a bite. “You really can grow almost anything here. It’s incredible.”

He and the team also planted hedging to fight the wind, a continued struggle, but one he says will pay off. Currently the hotel employs eight people, including Bullock and one full-time gardener tending to the grounds.

From Dilapidated to Destination

Called The Ruin, this two-story cottage was an abandoned farm building for decades before being brought back to life as part of Solar Branco. “We wanted to take something that was old and crumbling and restore it to something beautiful and comfortable,” says co-owner Caroline Sprod. Photo by Rui Soares

Bullock and Sprod worked with architect Joana Oliveira from Mezzo Atelier to bring their vision for Solar Branco to life. The eco estate officially opened to guests in June 2023. “Portugal is not a place where you can do this DIY,” Sprod says, adding that resources can be difficult to find. “We found an architect we wanted to work with who grew up maybe two miles from here. She combines local features in a modern and minimalist way, which is a style that spoke to me. I felt we had the same understanding of what we wanted the place to look like.”

The property’s main house, or solar, which Sprod says loosely translates as “country house,” was in a livable-ish state when the couple purchased the property five years ago. They lived there while work was ongoing.

“Everything was a bit decrepit,” Sprod says. The electricity was unreliable, water leaked in the bedroom when it rained, but at least one of the toilets worked.

We wanted to take something that was old and crumbling and restore it to something beautiful and comfortable.

Three of the property’s outbuildings—originally one farmer’s cottage and two pigpens—were hidden from view when the property fell into disuse. The area became overgrown and covered in trash. In total the Solar Branco Eco Estate now has eight luxury suites and cottages. The Barn is a two-story cottage built on the site that previously housed an old farmyard storage shed.

The Gin Library, formerly stables, is now home to more than 1,000 bottles of gin from all over the world. What started with Ali’s own collection has grown to include bottles guests bring to add to the library, too. Photo by Rui Soares

Each room in Solar Branco is thoughtfully appointed. The hotel gives guests real-time visibility of their energy usage to encourage them to use only what they need. Photo by Rui Soares

Sprod says the main house, built more than 100 years ago, is the heart of the project as well as the center of the estate. It has three luxury bedrooms and a separate studio apartment upstairs, as well as a spacious dining area on the ground floor.

Bullock says it took about four years to get the property to its current state, though much of that work continues, including restoring the land on a hill below the main house where stone walls were so overgrown you wouldn’t have known they were there. “Sadly we had to cut back some of the trees down there because they just hadn’t been looked after in 40 years,” he says.

Work continues on the hill below the estate. Photo by Rui Soares

Photo by Rui Soares

Volcanic rocks found all over the property were used to repair crumbling walls, while banana trees, now thriving, started going in as soon as they bought the place. “We cleared the land and started to restore it immediately,” Bullock says.

Sustainable Programming

Co-owner Caroline Sprod prepares a special meal at the hotel. Photo by Rui Soares

Sprod and Bullock do things differently from much of the hospitality industry. They view hosting guests as a partnership—an opportunity to educate and work together to make the world a better place.

Solar Branco recently installed an innovative system for resource monitoring that gives hotel guests a report on the ecological impact of their stay. Called My Green Butler, the program measures individual guests’ resource usage. They can get real-time info about how much water and electricity they used, for example, and tips for how to reduce it. Feeling chilly? Grab an extra, cozy blanket from the closet. And so on. “It tries to partner with them rather than take away enjoyment,” Sprod says. “It’s meant to be a very engaging way to help people really take ownership of the resources they’re using.”

Solar Branco has a total ban on single-use plastic and pesticides and is the first in the Azores to commit to being a zero food waste hotel. They’ve been able to reduce the resources used in the food by relying on seasonal offerings grown on the farm or nearby. “We try to give people things they wouldn’t necessarily have day to day as well, rather than the same offer you might get anywhere,” Sprod says.

Local oranges from the property are on offer to guests at breakfast when in season. Photo by Rui Soares

You won’t find an overwhelming smorgasbord at Solar Branco, but you certainly won’t go hungry. Breakfast offers everything you need to start the day off right, say, before a long hike—and is quite literally farm to table. “A lot of businesses feel under pressure to offer this huge variety. We are really trying to not feel held hostage by that thought. We try to explain to people about what we’re serving, why we’re serving it, and how they can enjoy something really local,” Sprod says.

Guests can take their fruit (grown on the farm), pastel de nata (Portuguese custard tart), and locally sourced breads and jams with their coffee or tea and dine on the terrace overlooking the green hills and ocean beyond. “A lot of people say it’s so quiet and tranquil here,” Sprod says. “We look out onto farmland. Right now I can see a couple of cows. It’s quite a nice vista.”

Guests can dine on the terrace overlooking the beautiful grounds and farmland beyond. Photo by Rui Soares

In the evenings guests can reserve a spot in the chef-led sushi experience in the hotel’s invitation-only speakeasy behind the Gin Library (formerly stables, now home to more than 1,000 bottles of gin from all over the world) after a complimentary gin and tonic happy hour. Chef Joanna blends typical Azorean flavors with local, sustainable fish in an omakase-style dinner.

Solar Branco is home to Europe’s largest gin collection and serves hundreds of gin and tonics a month. As such, they’re committed to ensuring 100% of their glass is recycled once those bottles are empty. Photo by Rui Soares

Locally Sourced Interior Design

Accommodations at Solar Branco Eco Estate are clean, minimalist, and organic, including handmade soaps from a Portuguese artisan. Photo by Rui Soares

“Bom Dia” breakfast is included in each guest’s stay, with locally sourced ingredients and bananas and oranges from the property. Photo by Rui Soares

Throughout the estate interior design incorporates small artisans from Portugal and the Azores wherever possible. “There aren’t that many people producing things locally, but for example the beds are made in a workshop in Portugal with natural materials. They’re really good for the body to breathe at night,” Sprod says. “We got the bedding from a factory in Portugal that uses really nice natural materials, too. It’s soft and gives people a comfortable night’s sleep. It can help cut down on the resources people use if they have a bed that keeps them cool.”

Tables throughout the spaces are made using wood from trees that fell on the island. “There’s a carpenter who lovingly looks at this wood and dries it out for years until it’s ready to be made into furniture. He made us tables for our dining room and all the different rooms,” Sprod says.

Dishes come from a small manufacturer in Portugal who uses recycled glaze—a process Sprod says is quite innovative for its waste reduction in manufacturing. Organic toiletries are made by a small Portuguese producer, including essential oils made from local plants. “We try to be really thoughtful about all of these things. I love things that are stylish but also unfussy, minimalist, and fit in with the sustainability focus we have.”

A greenhouse was built using windows and materials from the original buildings. Photo by Rui Soares

What they couldn’t use, like old shelving, they gave to neighbors during the renovation. “This is not a super rich community,” Sprod says. “There are people who really appreciate having building materials they can reuse.”

Windows that came out of the original buildings were moved to the back garden area and used to make greenhouses—now full of plants. “Typically in the construction industry here, the easiest thing is to scoop these things up in the back of the lorry and dump them in a landfill rather than make the effort to move them,” Sprod says. “We try to minimize any waste, and we wanted to be thoughtful about how we were treating the building and the contents in it.”

Crumbling rock walls were at every turn when the couple first bought the property that became Solar Branco. In the distance sits another of Ali’s projects—a vintage VW van being repurposed for special events. Photo by Rui Soares

A side view of The Ruin at the Solar Branco Eco Estate. Photo by Rui Soares

There are a diverse mix of accommodations to choose from at the Solar Branco Eco Estate. Photo by Rui Soares

Solar Branco Eco Estate. Photo by Rui Soares

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